Lust or Love?
by Gure-dono
Summary: PAST: The RedHaired crew just landed on a little remote island where the townspeople are friendly and the only docksman is a woman. Capt'n Shanks does nothing else but rely on this woman, will it be like the rest of his loves or something new? WARNING: OC
1. Warm Welcoming

**_Guys and gals, the footnotes are at the bottom of the page. I find it best, when stories have footnotes, to open Mircosoft Word or WordPad or even NotePad and copy and paste the footnotes to that document so you can flip back and forth without losing your spot._**

And on another note, enjoy. (If you didn't catch it before, **WARNING: OWN CHARACTER. **If you don't like it, please leave.)

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"Alright, Mrs. M, I'm off to the docks." the woman put away her mop and apron and headed for the door, slipping her double-bladed swords over her back.

"Be safe dear!"

"It's a beautiful day, I have nothing to fear!" she laughed walking out the door.

"Shanks, we're heading into a military docking area." Ben said as he looked over the bow of the ship and to the docking that they were steadily heading for.

"Oh come now, Ben!" Shanks laughed as he hit his friend square in the back with this left arm. "Do you see any military battle ships of any sort?" he too gazed off into the distance.

"No, but still, ---"

"No is none my dear friend." Shanks laughed and walked off.

"…" Ben angrily stared at the dock.

Fifteen minutes later, Shanks ordered the crew to slow the ships knots1 down so they would be able to dock. As they reached the dock Shanks looked around, and not seeing his crew. "Ben," he called in an un-amused gay manner. "Where's my crew?"

"In their rooms; sleeping." Ben replied as he gathered the cable2 so that the docks man could moor3 the ship to the dock.

"…." Shanks was angry. He hadn't giving any order to do so! "Fine then. They can find us on the island when they wake up." Shanks grunted as he walked over to the larboard4 and leaned on it, looking for the docks man. And all he saw was a woman. "Where the blazes could that man be?"

"Yo!" the woman called up to Shanks, grabbing his attention. "You need to be moored?" she shouted up.

"Yes! Would you get the stevedore5?" Shanks asked politely.

"That'd be me!" she laughed.

Shanks' mouth turned into an over exaggerated frown and his eyebrows went up. That was a pleasant surprise; a woman stevedore. "Ben! Throw over the cable." Shanks motioned him to throw the cable overboard.

"Right." Ben heaved the cable over and it oddly enough landed on the dock whereas the woman tied a secure knot to three different posts.

"Tell your captain everything's secure!" the woman shouted up to Shanks.

"That'd be me!" Shanks mocked as he laughed, giving her a sarcastic salute.

She laughed back. "You need a ratline6 capt'n?"

"Nah, we got one!" Shanks walked off, as he and Ben picked up the ratline and tossed it over to her on the dock. She once again secured it to a post.

"Secure!" she shouted

"After you, capt'n." Ben bowed and hinted for him to go first.

"Oh, all high and noble." Shanks scoffed happily as he hopped over the taffrail7 and climbed his way down the dock where the female stevedore was. Shanks hopped off the ratline just like he had gotten on it, and Ben wasn't far behind. He turned to the woman, smiled, took off his hat, his red hair tossed in the wind and he held out his hand. "Captain Shanks."

The woman took his hand and shook it, mindlessly staring him. She realized she had been shaking his hand and not said anything. "Stevedore Suzuna." she laughed, smiling back and letting go of his hand.

At that time, Ben had now joined the two, to the left of Shanks. "And this is my first mate Ben Beckman," Shanks introduced. "Ben, this is stevedore Suzuna."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." the towering man said to Suzuna as he held out his hand smiling.

"Likewise." she smiled and shook his hand then letting go. "So where's the rest of the crew?" Suzuna asked. "That's ships huge and I know for a fact that two pirates wouldn't be able to man a ship like yours."

Shanks merely smirked and laughed and crossed his arms.

"The remaining crew is being insolent." Ben answered for Shanks politely.

Suzuna laughed. "I see." she paused. "So what is it I can do for the two of you?" she asked kindly. "My Dock Master is out, so I'm in charge of taking care of whoever comes here."

"Taking care of?" Shanks asked.

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1 Knots: a unit of measurement for the speed at which a ship or aircraft travels. 

2 Cable: heavy rope or chain for mooring a ship.

3 Moor: to fix a boat, ship, or aircraft to one place with cables, chains, or an anchor, or to be secured.

4 Larboard: left side of a ship.

5 Stevedore: somebody whose job is to load and unload ships.

6 Ratline: a small rope forming a rung in the form of a rope ladder so that the crew can leave and board.

7 Taffrail: rail around the stern (back) of the ship.

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Hope that wasn't too much of a mouthful of sea-word XD. Review please! 


	2. Two for One and Hissyfits

There's one footnote, and that's "barracks". It's simple, it's a place where sailors (or in this case; pirates) sleep.

Again, enjoy.

**WARNING: STILL OC.**

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"This is a kind island, captain, 'taking care of' simply means I show you around. Here in this town you can walk down the streets at night and not be afraid to be mugged. During the day you can pass any one person and they'll smile at you and say 'good day' with a nod. This place is also dirt-cheap. You'll be able to stock your ship for perhaps another months travel, depending on how you rationalize the food proportions." she paused. "The food is good, and so is the liquor; all at reasonable prices. Now true, the board is a bit pricey, but you have a ship with barracks1, do you not?" she laughed.

"Yes we do." Shanks laughed.

"Then you're taken care of. You've saved about twenty berries a person; and that's the cheapest hotel." she smiled. "So, would you like a tour, maybe a map of the island?"

Shanks' and Ben's stomachs growled just about simultaneously. "A restaurant would be nice." Shanks laughed.

"Right." Suzuna laughed. "Follow me, and I'll take you to the best diner in town." she walked off, leaving the two to follow her. And they did, since they didn't care to be starving while high and dry. She walked about fifty yards before saying anything. "So, it looks like you've all been in a pretty bad storm. Lightening or even a medium sized hurricane?" she asked, trying to look behind herself.

"Yeah, a powerfully strong small hurricane." Shanks answered. "How'd you know?" he asked back curiously.

Suzuna laughed as she did a 180 and walked backwards. "You must be a good captain or have tremendous luck." she said first, kindly commenting on Shanks' captaining skills. "I knew a guy who was a captain. Actually, he let me come on his voyages quite a lot; I mean I was never a crewmate, but I learned just about everything there is to a ship and the sea. So I know a ship that's been hit by something Poseidon dished out." she smiled at them, laughing slightly. "Casualties?"

"None, thank god." Shanks smiled.

"Ooh, top notch capt'n." she smirked, turning back around.

"Where'd you get the swords?" Shanks chuckled at her perky attitude.

"They belonged to that captain about two years ago." Suzuna paused. "He died, and in his will it stated that they be given to me."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Shanks replied.

"Nah, don't be." Suzuna laughed, pulling open the door for them. "What's in the past is in the past. And currently your stomachs are eating themselves alive, so get in there and I'll whip you two up something."

"You're a waitress too?" Shanks asked as he walked into the diner, taking off his cloak and hanging it up on the coat hanger. As Ben got in he walked over to an empty table and sat down lazily.

"Yeah, I have a busy life here." she grabbed her apron putting it on and tying it quickly as she walked over to the bar, leaned over it and grabbed two menus, then walking over to Shanks and Ben handing the menus to them. "So what would you like to drink?" she pulled out her pocket-sized notebook and her pen.

"You said the liquor was good right?" Ben asked

"Yes I did." Suzuna answered politely.

"What kind do you have?" Shanks asked

"Wine, beer, whiskey, malts." she replied.

"We'll have two of the richest tasting wines you have." Shanks smirked at her.

"I'll get right to it, as if I had no one else to serve." Suzuna laughed, pointing out they were the only ones there as she went to the back of the diner to get the wine.

"Funny one she is." Ben laughed.

"She's a waitress and a stevedore; she doesn't have a choice." Shanks laughed too.

Suzuna came back a minute later, with two of the oldest bottles of red wine they had in possession. She set them in the table lightly and then wrote out they had had ordered so far. "Need a bottle opener?" she asked.

"When you've been at sea for three months you learn other ways of opening a bottle without an opener." Ben scoffed smirking as he pealed off the foil and bit down on the cork with his teeth and removed it, making it look ever so easy.

"And don't try that at home, he's had nineteen years of his life practicing that and he's still as stupid as ever." Shanks insulted Ben pulling out his dagger and in a civilized manner removing the cork with a high-pitched popping noise when Ben got a loud pop.

"And how old are you captain?" Suzuna asked as se sat on the table behind her.

"Nineteen in a week. And call me Shanks." he replied. "How about you, since you're so young?"

"Eighteen. Nineteen in about four and a half months." she smiled

"Ah, a snow bunny are you?" Shanks laughed. "I personally like the transaction between summer and fall."

"Well nine months before that your parents were trying to keep warm." Suzuna laughed, mocking Shanks' liking of his birth month.

"Yeah well--!! …" Shanks was having a hard time with witty come-backs for this woman. After all no one really challenged him to mind games like Suzuna had. "No, I'm going to be a gentleman and be quiet." Shanks gave off a sound of disapproval and looked at the menu.

"Then forgive my rudeness." Suzuna took her apron and curtsied as she sat on the table as Shanks gave another disapproval noise. "Made up your minds?" she asked

"I'll have the one pound steak well-done." Ben laughed at Shanks' child ness. Shanks stuck his tongue out at Ben.

"Baked or mashed potatoes?" Suzuna asked writing all of this down.

"Baked."

"Coleslaw or salad?"

"Coleslaw."

"Toast or biscuit?"

"Biscuit."

"All right then. Shanks?" Suzuna asked

"…Pancakes and eggs." Shanks replied.

"And how do you want your eggs?"

"Scrambled."

"Toast or biscuit?"

"Toast."

"Bacon?"

"Crispy."

"Hash browns?"

"Crispy as well."

"Ok. It'll all be out soon." Suzuna stood up and walked into the kitchen.

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1 Barracks: rooms for the crew.

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See? Easy footnote. I think that these terms are only going to show up when they're at the ship, and if I use the same thing, I'm not going to use another footnote, its annoying. Just look back to the first chapter. Review! 


	3. Sincerely?

HA. NO FOOTNOTES.

Enjoy.

**WARNING: OC.**

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It was maybe ten minutes later, as Shanks and Ben were getting slightly buzzed and Suzuna was just bringing out the food. She was carrying everything they ordered out on one big tray with one hand as she quickly made her over to them setting the tray down on the table next to them.

She pulled out their food first and then their sides; the ones that couldn't fit on the plates. "Enjoy guys." she smiled at them then walked back into the kitchen to wash the dishes she dirtied.

"Hey, Suzuna?" Shanks called after he had taken a bite of everything he had, and just swallowing the eggs.

"Yeah?" Suzuna popped her head out of the order-up window.

"How much is all of this?" he questioned as he pointed down to his food.

"Fifteen berries." Suzuna said innocently.

"For each of our orders?" Shanks asked in concern.

"No, for the whole thing, that's what you asked for." she smiled, laughed and went back into the kitchen.

"Holy Jolly Rodger, that's cheap." Ben commented taking another swig from the wine bottle.

"Well she said it would be." Shanks chuckled dully, eating his bacon leisurely.

Back on the Red-Haired crew's ship, they were all beginning to wake up, and most of them gathering on the main deck, looking around, wondering where their captain is. "…" Lucky Roo looked about the ship, in normal places Shanks would be. "Yassop?"

"I dunno, Roo." Yassop sighed. He turned around, and saw a piece of paper on the railing. "…" he walked over to it and read it aloud. " 'Dear sleeping maroons.' …. whadda bastard…" he murmured. " 'While you all have been sleeping away like little babies, Ben and I have decided to venture on without you. Good luck finding us! --- With No Sympathy, Shanks and Ben.' ………"

"Does it really say that?" Lucky Roo asked

"…it's the goddamn captain, he can say whatever the hell he wants!" Yassop ripped the paper to shreds.

"… lets find food, I'm hungry." Roo suggested.

"…good idea." Yassop agreed. And the entire crew, all 27 of them, headed for the town.

"Oh," Shanks moaned as he laid his head on the table, his straw hat falling off his head. "I think I ate too fast…"

"Really Shanks? I hadn't realized since you finished before I could even get though half of my steak." Ben chucked as he was just now finishing his steak and beginning on his potato.

"…" Shanks didn't feel like doing anything except feel bad and moan about it.

"Did he seriously scarf down all his food?" Suzuna asked as she walked up to the table.

"Sure as hell." Ben laughed leaning back in his chair letting the steak settle in his stomach.

"Shut-up Ben!" Shanks yelled and moaned at the end, holding his stomach.

"… you guys haven't eaten in a while have you?" Suzuna asked worriedly standing behind Shanks and crossing her arms.

"Oh no, we've all eaten, just not such a wonderful meal like you've prepared for us. We've only had rations of slightly moldy bread, old booze and cheese that no one likes." Ben answered her, since Shanks was obviously unable too.

"I just need to lay down is all!" Shanks barked at Ben harshly.

"Well that isn't lying down, capt'n." Ben smiled.

"Look Shanks, if you really want to lie down, I have a bed upstairs you could use.  
She paused awkwardly to have both men stare at her oddly. "I mean, I don't use it anymore, it use to be my room. I just use it to hold all my medicine. The room is perfectly clean, I could even give you some medicine to settle your stomach."

"Now you're a doctor that doesn't have a place to live?" Shanks asked very sarcastically, sitting straight up in his chair and looking at her with an extremely confused face as he held his hat to his stomach.

"No, all the medicine I have is what my captain taught me when I was on his ship. Common things; stomach ailment cures, heart burn medication, blood clotters, stitches, bandages, alcoholic wipes, disinfectants, and flavorings to take away the awful taste of the medication; cures for simple things." she paused to breathe. "And I'm not homeless, I own that little shack on the beach. Yeah, it needs a lot of work, but it has everything I need. Besides, I get to wake up to the sights and smells of the ocean." she laughed. "For the first fifteen years of my life I woke up to it every morning and I loved it. It's not a habit I'm soon to forget. So Shanks? Still want to lie down?" she asked laughing.

"Yeah." Shanks smirked but didn't laugh for the fear that he would end up throwing up. So he stood then put on his hat, and was aided by Suzuna up to her old room.

As they got to the top of the stairs, Ben chuckled. "What a ladies' man." and lit his cigarette.

"That was great food, but it's killing me." Shanks huffed out a singular chuckle as he turned the corner from the stairs and held his abdomen.

"Don't stop walking, you're almost there." Suzuna laughed, walking ahead of him and opening a door than walking in.

Shanks tried to suck it up and walk almost confidently over to the door. He put his hand on the door fame and walked in and over to the bed. He looked down at it and slowly laid down, moaning nonetheless. "So how bad is this medicine going to taste?" he asked.

"Well, lets just say if you smell it you'll no longer need the medicine, but need and mop and bucket." she sighed.

"Oh Jolly Rodger." Shanks groaned as he covered his face with his hands.

Suzuna took the stomach calmer and some flavoring. "Do you like cherries?" she asked popping off a bottled cap and pouring a thick red liquid into a small container.

"I love poppin' em." he laughed giddily despite his churning stomach.

"I should just leave you to piss and moan in agony." she laughed some what in a bittersweet way.

"Fine, too perverted." Shanks sighed happily and smirking. "But yes, I do. Once upon a time that was just about all I ate."

"Oh, so that's why you're so goddamn thin." she laughed. Suzuna pulled out a leaf and set it to the side.

"Well that and the fact that my crew and I were stuck out in the ocean for three months and didn't have enough time or money to restock." he sighed. "Is that peppermint?" he sniffed he air.

"Yes it is." Suzuna smiled.

"You're giving me a mint-flavored gut-buster?" Shanks asked wary as he covered his face with his hat.

"No, I'm going to give you the medicine and you can't breathe until I say it's ok, then some cherry flavoring and when that wears off you'll be glad to have a peppermint leaf to chew on and last another three hours." Suzuna told.

"Oh, lovely concoction you've made." Shanks smiled bitterly.

"Sorry, but it's all I know." she laughed.

"That's what my capt'n use to do. Give us horrible medicine then a mint leaf." he sighed. "I sure do miss that old geezer." he smiled.

"Well maybe our captains knew each other." Suzuna smiled.

"…as kind as you are, you know I have a bounty on my head right?" Shanks asked in a tone that Suzuna had yet to hear as he set his hat on the pillow next to him.

"Yes, so?" she asked stirring the bitter medicine with some cherry flavor.

"It's pretty damn big. If you get caught eventually--"

"Shanks, don't go sentimental on me." she laughed and turned around. "I'm not worried about the big bad navy coming and accusing me of giving medicine to the _dastardly _80,000 berrie 'Red-Haired Shanks'. You showed up on my dock; you are my responsibility. And you're nice. You've done me no wrong. Besides, even if the navy is following you, I don't have anything to worry about." she waked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Why's that?" Shanks asked looking at her. "You leaving?"

"Yeah, I am. In a little while." she picked up he clear liquid.

"Hold on," Shanks pushed back the arm that held the medicine and propped himself up with his left arm. "When are you leaving?"

"Why does that even matter?" she asked smiling and laughing. "You'll be a memory to this town in a week anyway. It'll take you that long to restock and get everything back into tip-top shape."

"Suzuna when are you leaving?" he asked concerned.

"One, two months, why Shanks?"

"We're staying for a while and I want you around."

"…what for?"

"We need a guide, and you're my age, I'll get along more with a person my age more than a map or some old coot." Shanks eyebrow slightly knit together as he looked at her. "And how else would show me around besides you?" he asked rhetorically. "You could care less about my bounty."

"…" Suzuna stared into Shanks' eyes, truly not knowing what to do. "Sure Shanks, I'll stick around." she laughed and closed her eyes looking away.

All Shanks did was smile. "So gimmie that goddamn medicine."

"First, who was your captain?" she asked smiling back.

"…" Shanks looked to his left, then to his right, and leaned in towards Suzuna. "Just between you and me," he whispered. "You would believe me even if I did tell you!" he backed away laughing.

"…" Suzuna was un-amused. "Take this without breathing," she handed Shanks the now pinkish colored liquid. "Then this red liquid." she set it on the table. "After that, take a nap. When you wake up, chew on the leaf. Got it?" she asked.

"What, are you mad at me or something?" Shanks smiled laughing

"No, not at all, I have no need to know who trained you. Take your medicine and get some rest, doctors orders." she ruffled his hair and walked to the door. "Oh, and if you need to use the bathroom," she made a thumbs up and pointed to her right. "That's the bathroom. Sweet dreams." she closed the door and went down the stairs.

"S…Suzuna!" Shanks shouted in a rather childish manner as he held the medicine looking at the door pitifully.

Suzuna went back downstairs only to find about 20 some odd men occupying all of her tables. "…Ben?" she asked wary. "This the crew?"

"Yep." Ben laughed smoking his cigarette. "Crew, give ms. Suzuna a hearty hello." he commanded.

"YO!" they all shouted happily that they were in a diner.

"…hi." Suzuna replied rather in a mousy tone. She came down the rest of the stairs and behind the bar. "I'll assume that--"

"WHERE'S THE CAPT'N?" most of the crew asked her in unison, shouting nonetheless.

"Upstairs resting." she answered, rather appalled that they didn't let her speak. There was then a low roar of multiple chuckling and oh-ing in a joking manner. "HEY." Suzuna quickly caught onto the way these men were thinking and she blushed angrily. "Fine, I won't feed any of you." she crossed her arms and began walking back into the kitchen.

"Lady! Lady! Lady! Lady! Lady!" Yassop said and went hurriedly after her putting a hand on her shoulder and walking with her. "We were just jokin'! C'mon have some heart! Surly you can show some respect for the capt'n's crew! We were just playin'! It's how we are when we're warmin' up to a new waitress!"

"Yes, I figured." she laughed. "Nevertheless, I can't cook for all of you at this moment. I need my colleagues to help me. I can handle two or three people, but an entire crew is when I need another cook and two servers. You all will have to unfortunately wait until they show up, which honestly should be soon."

"What about drinks?" Yassop asked.

"That I can do." she smiled at him

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That's all I have for now, I just wanted to see what all you Shanks fans thought of it so far. If you do like it, don't worry, I'll post the rest when I have more done. So review please! 


	4. Fake Outs

HEY, I'm back with more :D

Now look, if you haven't figured it out yet, I've got an OC (Own Character), so if you don't like it, **_LEAVE._**

On another note, I thank you all who've already commented, it means a lot, and I'm liking how you're all helping me with things, informative comments make me happy :3

So enjoy, and don't forget to review!

* * *

And that task was rather simple. They all wanted beers. So she simply rolled out a keg from the back that was 20 berries and 'said drink at will'. And they did drink at will, and that will lasted 20 minutes. Leaving Ben the only sober awake man. 

"… have they no alcoholic tolerance?" Suzuna asked.

"Eh." Ben shrugged. "So how's Shanks doing?"

"Probably pissing and moaning if he didn't take the flavoring." she sighed.

"Whadda mean?" Ben asked.

"The medicine I gave him is strong not only in bitterness but in tonicity as well. See, it takes the medicine no time to get to your stomach. It then takes its affects, but the user doesn't feel the affects for five minutes." Suzuna paused. "Then the pain kicks in for about fifteen to twenty minutes. After that a wave of relief makes you numb, but you think you're practically in ecstasy." she stopped again. "And you feel all that if you don't take the flavoring which contains the sleeping medicine. If you take that, you fall asleep, sleep soundly, wake up pain free." she sighed. "But Shanks is a stubborn man, isn't he?"

"Yes he is." Ben chuckled.

"… I should go check on him." Suzuna sighed, walking over to the stairs then walking up them.

"B...B…Ben.." Yassop said miserably as he grabbed Ben's pants, pulling himself off the floor.

"HEY." Ben growled. "I'm not the toilet." he shoved Yassop back on the ground and put his feet up on the table.

Suzuna turned the knob, and pushed the door in. she peeked her head in and looked over to the bed. "Shanks?" she whispered. He was facing the door, lying on his back. He was breathing heavily, but didn't reply to her call. "…" the first thought that appeared was 'he really did do what I said'. But then there was the doubt of 'he's just pulling my leg'. So she walked into the room, closing the door and walking over to the bed. "Shanks?" she asked again softly. Again he didn't move.

Suzuna smiled. She looked over to the nightstand to see everything but the mint leaf gone. She looked back at Shanks and noted he was covered in sweat. She grabbed a washcloth on the vanity and patted his face free of sweat. "You're welcome." She laughed and stood up.

His eyebrows knitted, and mouth ajar, Shanks moaned. And his unconscious mind turned his head to his left, towards Suzuna. She looked back to him and sighed. "The medicine's taking affect, but I feel bad?" she asked herself. Shanks' hand twitched and he groaned again. Suzuna sighed. She sat back on the bed and turned Shanks' head more to the left, and patted the sweat off his neck. After that she turned his head to the right and patted his neck free of the sweat. Then she patted what skin on his chest that was exposed.

Shanks' mouth twitched out a smirk, and his once labored breathing calmed and he seemed as if he slept more calmly. Suzuna laughed, tossed the washcloth on the vanity and started to head for the door. "Thanks very much, love." Shanks murmured in a low, raspy tone.

"…Shanks you aren't awake are you?" Suzuna asked worried, feeling her heart sink.

"Oh, no; me? Never." he chuckled. "This happens to be my unconsciousness talking."

"Oh, Christ Shanks!" Suzuna whined, grabbing up the washcloth again and also grabbing a bucket and pumping in some ice-cold water from a pump from inside. All Shanks did was laugh and smile. Suzuna rushed over to her bed, dipped the washcloth in, rung the cloth and set it on Shanks' forehead.

"Oh, that feels nice." Shanks smiled, sighing happily.

"Of course it does." Suzuna sighed. "Why didn't you just go to sleep?" she whined again.

"Never," Shanks paused as Suzuna poured a small amount of water on the washcloth. "Have I _ever_ had a woman ever so desperately rush to a bed where I happen to be." he laughed. "Unless she was drunk, then that's a different story." he laughed even more.

"I don't know if I should be sorry for you or smack you because you're seemingly drunk." Suzuna said in a saddened voice.

"One of the various keys to life is liveliness. Being drunk numbs the senses and makes anyone unreasonable. Liveliness is merely a tool anyone can use to make not only themselves happy but others as well." Shanks smiled up at Suzuna.

Suzuna merely sighed and looked sad. "Just what are you trying to accomplish captain?"

Shanks chuckled. "That was some strong stuff you gave me. I can't move my legs."

"Is there anything you want? A drink? Food to settle your stomach?" she asked. "Your crew to come up here and bite your head off?" she stood up and walked to the other side of the bed, ready to walk to the door but still talking to Shanks.

"What?" Shanks asked in a high pitched tone.

"Your crew is down stairs; drunk I might add. All except that gentleman Ben." she laughed.

That perked Shanks' interest. "Whadda think of Ben?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest, smiling.

"Ben is… interesting. He seems like a nice guy once you get to know him." Suzuna paused. "I mean, face value, he scares me. But I know better. His eyes are kind, his smile is genuine, and his words are sincere." Suzuna smiled, tucked her thumbs into her pants and leaned back a bit.

"Yeah? You think so?" Shanks smiled.

"You picked a good one." Suzuna laughed.

"Yeah, I tend to do that a lot." Shanks' smile turned into a smirk. "Whadda see when you look at me?"

"…at face value, you looked like a strikingly handsome, charming, flamboyant man. Your attitude supports that. You turn around and you're suddenly caring about some woman you hardly know." she stopped to walk over to the bed, lean down very close to Shanks and start again. "Your eyes are experienced, they've spoken truth and been treated with lies. You like to believe what everyone says, but you can't. There was a day when everything you knew died." Suzuna stood above Shanks, a leg between his, her arms next to his shoulders. She looked into his eyes, sparkling and gleaming. "Naïve; like a boy fanaticizing over a life of fantasy." she laughed quickly getting off Shanks and heading to the door.

Shanks stumbled over words as he stood up and tried to get Suzuna's attention. "H-HEY. You get off on things like that?!" Shanks' voice cracked from the first time in four years.

"Where's your collective coolness?" she smiled. "I can't pin-point you, nor Ben, or anyone else you know that I don't. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I don't. I'll assume I was right since you're all stirred up. Sorry." she laughed opening the door and walking out it. "Please sleep." she said softly.

"Suzuna!" Shanks shouted, rather saddened.

Suzuna stopped walking, and sighed. "Yeah Shanks?" she asked, but not coming in the room.

"I… never mind." his voice was dull again. And his eyes veered over to the window as he sighed melodramatically.

"Shanks, what is it?" Suzuna walked in and leaned on the doorway.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"…Shanks," Suzuna walked over to the bed once again and sat on the edge. "If you want me to take care of you, you have to tell me what's up." she played with his hair. "I want to help you and your crew, really I do. Just tell me."

"I'll tell you later." he grabbed her hand, pressing it up against his mandible. "Don't worry about it."

"…you feel like going downstairs?" Suzuna moved their hands to the middle of his chest.

"And have my crew drunkenly scold me for ditching them?" Shanks scoffed. "How did Ben fair?"

"A guy with big lips, a long nose and curly dirty blonde hair almost threw up on his leg."

"HA!" Shanks laughed. "Yassop almost threw up on Ben!" he continued laughing.

"How are you doing capt'n?" Ben came in through the door, looking at the two holding hands.

Shanks' laughter abruptly stopped and they both whipped their hands to their sides, blushed and looked anywhere but at Ben. "I'm doing just fine, Ben. You?" Shanks asked back.

Ben laughed once, smirked and bit his tongue. "Just fine capt'n. And you miss Suzuna?"

"I'm doing great, thank you Ben." she said quietly, clearing her throat.

"Great. And how's the Red-Haired crew's star patient doing, doctor?" Ben walked further into the room.

"Well it wasn't like Shanks was deathly ill, it was just a stomach ache." she laughed. "I believe I'm sad to say that my medicine was too strong from what Shanks was used to."

"You wouldn't believe it Ben, I haven't had anything that strong since I was an apprentice with that old geezer captain of mine." Shanks pointed to Ben wagging his finger slightly.

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HA. No footnotes XD. Comment please! 


	5. All Seeing Ben?

WOWz, Chapter 5 :O I can't believe I've gotten up to 24 pages already! It's all thanks to you guys who commented and wanted to see more, giving my inspiration to write more Shanks-y stuff XD.

RIGHT, so standard procedure; I've got an OC (Own Character) here, if you don't like it, **_KINDLY LEAVE._** I don't need flames, nor like them and as a good artist once said: "All flames will be used to roast marshmellows." And I will. :3

So on that note, please enjoy :3

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"Amazing." Ben laughed. "Maybe it's going around that powerful medicines cure quicker." 

"I doubt it, that old geezer never told anyone anything. Except his first mate and wife." Shanks laughed.

"…" Suzuna sat like a statue, staring at the nightstand; shocked.

"Suzuna?" Ben asked concerned, making Shanks look to Suzuna.

"What?" she asked quickly, almost seemingly nervously defensive while looking up at him with deer-in-the-headlights eyes.

"Are you ok?" Ben asked her again.

Suzuna laughed nervously. "Yeah, just fine! Actually, I have some work to do down in the kitchen, so I'll see you guys later, alright?" she walked toward the door, then turned around. "So Shanks, you uh… can do whatever you like when you feel good enough to do it. Bye!" she laughed and went downstairs.

"The hell?" Shanks asked indirectly to no one.

"You said something." Ben told Shanks.

"…thanks Ben." Shanks sighed angrily.

"It was that second 'geezer' line of yours." Ben commented on what he assumed was Suzuna's kind-hearted reaction to Shanks' rudeness.

"Oh, come on. She can't be _that_ sheltered." Shanks paused. "She isn't the Old World kind."

"Well she isn't your kind either." Ben laughed crossing his arms, leaning back and bending his knees.

"And what IS my type, BENJAMIN?" Shanks added emphasis on his question.

"A assumed Don Juan1 teen." Ben laughed.

"I have NEVER had sex with a woman…. Or a man. Or anything." Shanks snapped at Ben for accusing him of such ludicrous judgment of beliefs.

"Yeah, but you sure do seem to get them _all worked up_ only to be sadly, sadly, _sadly_ disappointed. My friend, you need to fix it this time." Ben smirked.

"Excuse me? THIS TIME?"

"With _Suzuna._" Ben smiled the largest smile to be had.

"What on these _seven SEAS _makes you think that?!" Shanks was frightened that Ben had come to that astounding, stinging fact that was Shanks true heart.

Ben laughed, feeling all powerful. "Oh, Shanks. Shanks, Shanks, Shanks, Shanks, Shanks. Even a complete _fool_ could tell that you two were about to get all snuggly." he paused to take in Shanks' poorly hidden expression. "Look, she's a nice girl."

"Ben I'm not interested!"

"In what?"

"……" Shanks' mind stumbled on words.

"See?" Ben laughed as he walked to the door. "Just talk to her sometime you wimp-ish like captain." Ben stopped walking. "… she touched your hair didn't she?" he turned around smirking.

"What?" Shanks had sat up when Ben started walking away, only to turn his head to Ben in confusion.

"She did touch your hair!" Ben laughed, unable to control himself. "Shanks," he chuckled. "You can't resist it when a woman touches your hair!"

"Shut-up!" Shanks' face turned a shade lighter than his hair. "It's not like you'd know about women and their… their… their hair-swirling-touching-talk-seductiveness!"

"Yeah?" Ben's laughter started to calm. "Where do you think I go when I'm not with you and the crew, Shanks?" he narrowed his eyes, and made a devilish smirk appear on his lips.

Shanks gasped. "BEN." he paused. "I NEVER."

Ben closed his eyes, smiled a normal smile and chuckled out a sigh. "You should listen to Suzuna. Get some rest, it'll do you good." Ben went off into to join the drunken crew.

"_Get some rest, it'll do you good._" Shanks mocked Ben harshly. "_HAHAHA, she did touch your hair!_ WELL OF COURSE SHE DID."

Ben trotted down the stairs, only to see Suzuna have one of the new, spunky crew mates being held up angrily by his collar.

"YEAH, CUZ I WAS SO HAVING A THREESOME WITH SHANKS AND BEN." Suzuna growled, her face flush and fists shaking.

"Excuse me?" Ben asked confused standing at the base of the stairs.

"HE GROPED ME BEN. HE GROPED ME. THEN HAD THE NERVE TO SAY; 'WELL YOU DID IT WITH THEM, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?'. THAT'S BASHING MY CONSTITUTION." Suzuna growled at Ben too.

"Well take it easy, Suzuna, he's just drunk." Ben walked over to the crewmate and released her grip and then took him by the collar. "Now Jack, say you're sorry."

"But why on EARTH would I want to do that? After all I--"

"_Jack._" Ben scolded.

"…" Jack stared at Ben and Ben ruthlessly stared back. Jack then smiled a goofy drunken smile a Suzuna. "Sorry, love, really, I am."

"Good Jack." Ben set him on his feet and patted his head. "Now go get drunk somewhere else." and shoved Jack somewhere else.

"Thank you Ben." Suzuna sighed.

Ben sat down on the stool and smiled. "Doesn't the Navy do that to you?"

"No, they're dry. Stiff, straight laced, pricks, bastards. I actually met the nicest young man. He was on a weekend pass. He came in by himself on Friday, we chatted it up an boom; chemistry. Came back the next weekend, more than ecstatic to see me, left on Sunday again, and when he came back they'd broken him. He had no emotion, no soul. So we broke it off. Nicest guy I'd ever gone out with." she laughed. "But that was a few months ago." she pulled out a beer for Ben.

"Haven't dated since?" Ben asked popping the cap off with his thumb and taking a swig.

"No," she laughed. "Never found a guy that… treated me right. At least not respectably."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Except my friends. They treated me right. They're great friends." Suzuna smiled. "Still around actually. They help me with the diner, and my… hut-home." she laughed. "A few of them should be in soon to help out."

"So, you've dated men, and your friends, recently a navy man, and never since. Well that doesn't seem fair now does it?" Ben laughed. "You ever gonna feel like dating again?"

Suzuna stopped what she was doing and turned around slowly. "Ben?" she asked suspiciously.

Ben laughed again. "Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you out. Believe me, it wouldn't last more that three days. And Shanks would be heartbroken." he smiled at her.

"… Shanks?"

"Oh, c'mon, Suzuna. I practically saw you two about to make-out, you can't say there isn't anything there." Ben studied her confused expression. "You looked in his eyes, and he looked in yours, he smiled that smile of his that makes your heart melt and you blushed. Then I walked in and ruined it." he laughed.

"Jesus Christ, Ben… how do you do it?"

"Been there, done it." Ben laughed. Pulling a box of cigarettes and matches.

"Hey," Suzuna pushed Ben's hand down. "It's a smoke free building, Ben. If ya wanna smoke you have to go outside, sorry." she smiled.

"Nah, don't be." Ben smiled and laughed then pulled out a single cigarette putting it in hi mouth. "You're only following the building rules." he stood up putting the cigarettes and matches in his pocket again.

Suzuna smiled and grabbed a washrag to clean the bar counter top.

"Oh, and Suzuna?" Ben called.

"Yeah?" Suzuna looked over at him.

"The dirty dishes; in the kitchen, all taken care of." he smiled.

"…the…" Suzuna looked though the order window, then back at Ben. "…you?" she asked him shocked.

"You have to talk to Shanks, don't you?" Ben smirked and walked out side.

"…how the hell?" Suzuna wondered.

"Hey lady, you got pretty floors." a faint voice said, sounding drunk.

"…" Suzuna laid on the counter top and looked over the edge. "HEY, BATHROOMS DOWN THE HALL." she shouted. Suzuna then heard a thump and an agonizing groan. "Ben!" she called.

Ben turned around and looked in though the glass door, shrugged and gave his left had a quick flick in confusion.

"Go get Shanks, I think he fell!" Suzuna sighed. She saw Ben drop his head a put out his cigarette and come in. "Those things aren't good for you anyway."

"Yeah, yeah, and alcohol cleans wounds like peroxide." Ben walked by the bar quickly, scratching his head.

"…but it doesn't." Suzuna commented.

"Exactly." Ben sighed jogging up the stairs.

"…" Suzuna thought about everything Ben said and wondered if any of it made any sense anymore.

* * *

1 Don Juan: man who has a reputation for having casual sexual relationships with numerous women.

* * *

HA. One footnote! XD. 

I suppose now if a good time to give out my thanks even though the story isn't done:

To **Sina**: Good luck with understanding our complex language:3

To **flarey phoenix**: Thanks for the whole "port left" thing. :3 I couldn't remember what left was called (even though I could recite PotC by heart), but for the term I used it means the backend of the left side of the ship where the ratline is, but thanks for un blocking my basic ship-term XD

To **NicolettaStarr**: You're the first person to comment with the words "Well-writen"; thank you ever so much!

And finally, to **Lykainion**: "...sweet and calm, good for an interesting read when you're too tired to follow a really complicated plot..." thank youuuuu :3 I try XD. And to your side note: Lol, thank you, but I'll still be calling him Ben.

* * *

Shanks: ...pfftt. Benn. 

Ben(n): ...

Shanks: ...Bennnnnnnnnnnnnnn XD (lols) You realize your name is dragged out because of that 'n'? (lol) BennnnnnnnnA

Ben(n): ... It's funny that you're still talking.

Shanks: AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Ben(n): 'shanks' is is plural to 'shank' which is the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle in humans or the corresponding part in various other vertebrates, AKA; the leg, also a cut of beef, veal, mutton, or lamb from the upper or the lower part of the leg, known as the shin. Your name refers to you being the shin of a leg.

Shanks: ... (sniffle)

* * *

I'm part crack when I start making fun of things XD So comment, and thank you all who do :3 


	6. P'shaw Ben!

I'M BACK:D

**WARNING: OC**

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"Shanks?" Ben called. "Shanks? Fall off the bed?" he jumped over the railing and jogged into the room. "… you're a captain for Jolly Rodger's sake." Ben stood in the doorway. 

Shanks did indeed fall on the floor, but he was trying to get himself back up on the bed, over working his arms. "My knees gave out is all." Shanks grunted pushing himself up on the bed.

"Well you're making Suzuna worry. She told you to relax. You're going to make her stressed." Ben sighed walking up to Shanks.

"Yeah, well the old geezer said it was best that after you got that kicker medicine you should walk it off." Shanks scratched his head. "This really sucks, I haven't had any malarkey like that in four years."

"Well your stomach's better, right? Why don't you just hang out downstairs, keep your crew under control." Ben laughed.

"They're just drunk." Shanks sighed. "If Suzuna doesn't want them there, she can just throw them out." he paused. "Besides… they were the ones who followed us and didn't listen to my orders in the first place."

"Oh, now Shanks." Ben said in a womanly teasing like manner. "You can't get trivially angry at them. If you do, you'll learn to trivially hate everything they do, then hate them completely. That's not good for a captain to do to his crew; especially when they look up to you so much." he smiled.

"HA. BULL." Shanks scoffed, falling back on the bed.

"So you're not going down?" Ben gave a sigh and a face of disapproval.

"…not likely." Shanks childishly grunted out.

"You're not even that new as a captain, Shanks, you should know better. Didn't ol' Rodger teach you anything?" Ben crossed his arms and growled deeply in his throat.

"Ben; they're drunk. Ya can't do shit with a drunk crew. I know; I witnessed it. I was APART of it. I wish I could, really, I want to help Suzuna, but my crew… Jesus, even if you do say they respect me, they wouldn't listen to me when they're drunk."

"Try. Suzuna would appreciate it; triumphant or not." Ben smiled.

"…ya think?" Shanks said sheepishly.

"But of COURSE." Ben paused. "You know Shanks; she's on the rebound." he smirked.

"……she is?"

* * *

LOL, Shanks you hunter, you XD Comment! 


	7. Lust or Love, Savvy?

**WARNING: OC**

Please enjoy :3**

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**

"Mm-hmm." Ben answered, knowing full well that Shanks fell for it hook, line, and sinker. "Navy guy showed up all innocent an' naïve on a weekend pass, came back a few times, completely smitten, then one day, on his next weekend pass; complete tight-ass. She broke it up, and never saw each other ever again. Well, at least in the past few months."

"……really?" Shanks asked. "WAIT. NO." he sat up. "NO. I will not do this to her. She does not deserve to be lead for so many months to be ditched, I couldn't handle it either." Shanks pouted.

"Jesus, Shanks!" Ben said aggravated. "You hit it off with her when you introduced yourself!" he was nearly close to shaking Shanks. "And you know you like her too!" he said in a hushed yell. "Shanks, you're killing your love life, and HERS, ironically. Shanks give it a SHOT."

"BEN. I like her too much! We've known her for, what? A few HOURS? That's call LUST, not LOVE." Shanks argued back.

"Let's be blunt; did you get aroused, or did your heart pound?"

"What's the goddamn difference?" Shanks asked defensively.

"Lust or love." Ben said back quickly in a low tone.

"My heart was pounding like a goddamn mad man."

"Then give it a chance." Ben sighed. "Honestly, Shanks. You can be so childish."

"How can I give it a chance?! I CURRENTLY CAN'T WALK."

"………………………" Ben stared at Shanks for a very long, awkward time.

"…WHAT?"

Ben kneeled down, and grabbed Shanks by his waist, lifted him up, and carried him out of the room. He nonchalantly carried Shanks carelessly over his shoulder in the hall, with Shanks kicking and screaming even as they went down stairs.

"BENJAMIN BECKMAN!" Shanks shouted so loudly his repulsively rude crewmates shut their mouths. "YOU PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT OR I SWEAR ON MY MOTHERS GRAVE I'LL-------"

Ben lightly tossed Shanks onto a bar stool, then carelessly walking out of the diner. Shanks, however, wasn't so amused. He was between two seats and keeping himself up only by his arms. "**_…………….._**"

"…Shanks?" Suzuna asked shocked.

"….YEAH?" he tried to asked calmly.

"…you ok?" her voice was kindly.

"….NO." Shanks sighed out.

"… want something to drink?" she sounded mousy, almost afraid to say something wrong.

"… alcohol?" his anger subsided and he felt stupidly embarrassed. Shanks' eyes leered over to the side, averting Suzuna's looks.

"I'll see what I can forage." She laughed. "Keep your head up; look like a gun ho seadog." Suzuna smiled at Shanks tipping his head up with her left index finger, walking off to the storage room.

Shanks blushed, swiping his thumb across his nose in slight embarrassment. He cleared his throat and sat up on a stool. He swirled around in his seat and stared at his once again loud, drunk crew and growled.

Ben tapped on the glass, happily puffing on a cigarette, smiling, and shrugging at Shanks and chuckled.

"Shut-up." Shanks growled.

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More of my commenting on the lastest updated chapter; so comment please! X3


	8. Introducing! pt 1

**WARNING: OC**

It's a long chapter all :O Grab your mini popcorn bags, cuddle up with a blanket and enjoy:3

* * *

Ben shrugged again, and turned around; puffing on that miniature cigar of his. He glanced down the street to see a young man be-bopping along down the sidewalk without a care in the world. Ben shrugged this off and looked off at the sea. 

And then that young brunette male started to jog, taking a quizzical look at Ben. As he reached the door of the diner he stared to talk to Ben. "…excuse me but… are you… a pirate?" he asked looking up at the tall-for-his-age young man.

"…?" Ben turned around and looked at the teen, "Yeah, I am. Is that a problem?" he asked concerned.

"Oh, no, not at all." He laughed. "Say, are you alone?"

"No, the rest of my captain's crew is in there. Why are you asking me so many questions?" Ben asked the boy, not sure what to be expecting.

"Because Suzuna's gonna kill me. I'm the server." He laughed nervously. "I'm positive you've already met Suzuna. -- I'm sorry!" he chuckled nervously. "HI, my name's Jouichirou! Jingle for short." Jingle held out his hand.

"Ben. Ben Beckman." He shook Jingle's hand, rather unsure of his boy.

"Nice meeting you Ben," Jingle tilted his head and walked in the diner.

"Yeah…" Ben puffed his cigarette again.

"Suzuna!" Jingle called trying to call over the crew. "Suzuna?" he paused, walking up to the bar and placing a hand on a man's shoulder. "Hey buddy, you seen the girl that's working around here?"

"Yeah, she's in the back." Shanks looked up to the young man that asked.

"…Red-haired Shanks…." Jingle stared, shocked.

"….yeah?" Shanks asked questioningly, but really not caring.

"Wow." Jingle chuckled. "It's nice to meet such a pirate as yourself." He held out his hand happily.

"Uh-huh; and who might you be?" Shanks turned towards Jingle and shook hands with him.

"**_DEAD._**" Suzuna said with a calmness in her voice, coming up behind the bar and set Shanks' beer in front of him. She then resumed to her scolding of Jingle. "Where the **_hell_** have you been and **_where in god's name is Aki?_**"

"Note from Mrs. M, she wanted me to go grocery shopping for her," Jingle said as he rummaged though his jacket pocket and pushing a letter in Suzuna's face. "And as far as Aki goes, I don't know. Just because I took that sorry drunk backend home, doesn't mean I looked after the sap." He laughed. "Maybe getting knocked up, I dunno." He shrugged. "SO. Suzu;" Jingle chuckled. "… who's your boy friend?" he patted Shanks' back lightly.

"WUT?" Shanks coughed, whipping his head towards Jingle very shocked, some beer dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.

Suzuna sighed. "As in a boy who is a friend, don't over read it Shanks." She paused. "Jingle, this is Captain Shanks, Shanks, this is Jouichirou, but we call him Jingle. He's our waiter and a part-time cook when we're short-handed."

"Hello Jingle." Shanks said hoarsely as he coughed some more, covering his mouth.

Jingle chuckled again. "So what's up Suzu? Already feed these guys?"

"You OK Shanks?" Suzuna bent over and received a coughing nod from him, then standing back up. "No, I haven't, and I know you and me can't handle them. They're gonna have to have to wait for Aki to show up so we can do some major cooking."

"True true." Jingle sighed. "…. Want me to go find Aki?"

"PFFT. Knowing that S.O.B; probably'll show up in half an hour since you're here. So don't even waste your time. Just go take everyone's orders and put them up on the spinning rack and tell them that the other cook isn't here yet."

"An' if they give you any trouble, tell em' I'll kick their ass." Shanks added, his voice clearing up again.

"Aye aye." Jingle laughed, pulling out his notepad and a pen, starting to make his way though the mass of booze loving pirates.

"…" Shanks stared at the newly introduced boy as he took the orders of his crew. Shanks then swiftly spun around and pointed back at the boy. "Who in Jolly Rodgers name was that?" he asked Suzuna.

"That was the diner's waiter. His name is Jouichirou, but around here we call him Jingle." Suzuna laughed at Shanks' ability to retain names and information so well. "He was a package deal when I first got here. Aki and Jingle, both or none. Mrs. M, the woman who owns this place, didn't really have a choice." He sighed happily.

"So where's this Mrs. M lady?" Shanks asked. "Isn't she supposed to be here if she owns the place?"

"Nah, not this month. She's got sick this morning bad. I'm second in command, that's why I was so rough with Jingle. We're all friends here, but I get angry when my staff doesn't show up when I need them the most; like today." She laughed.

"AH-TA-TA!!" Jingle shouted off in the distance, hitting a drunken crew mate on his head with his small notebook. 

"JINGLE!" Suzuna shouted as she and Shanks spun their heads to the sounds. "The customer's always right!"

"NOT WHEN HE GRABS MY ASS, HE ISN'T." Jingle shouted back angrily. 

"JACK!" Shanks shouted, fuming.

"It was an accident, capt'n! I swear!" jack shouted in his own defense.

"BULL." Jingle angrily said. 

"JINGLE. WORK." Suzuna scolded slamming her hands on the bar top. "I'm not paying you to be complaining about getting groped!"

"Suzuna, you kinky girl you!" Ben laughed sitting next to Shanks.

"SHUT-IT BECKMAN." She growled trivially, glaring at him.

"Suzuna, breathe." Shanks grabbed her face, placing his hands over her ears, making her focus on him. "This is only the first day," he chuckled. "There's many more to come, you'll get used to it and know how to fire back." He smiled.

Suzuna growled submissively, placing her much smaller, feminine hands on Shanks' hands and lowering her head to take a deep breath in and out. She laughed and smiled a few seconds later. "Thanks." She murmured.

"…" Shanks blushed at how soft her voice had gotten and how delicate her touch was. His eyes grew wide and he took his head back a little bit. Shanks' eyes veered over to the ever chuckling Ben who was smirking the biggest smirk he had, blushed some more, and looked back to the top of Suzuna's head. "I--I uh need my hands back; to drink ya know." He coughed out slyly.

"Right." Suzuna smiled, tapping Shanks' hands, a sign for him to move his hands. "Ben, anything you'd like to drink?" she smiled.

"Uh…," Ben sighed out. "… actually, water sounds really good right now, how about some of that." Ben smiled very happily at her.

"Right away." She nodded and went off into the back to get some well water for Ben.

"…" Shanks watched her walk off, her hair flowing behind her. He whipped his head back at Ben. "YOU SUCK. SERIOUSLY."

"Oh please." Ben laughed. "You can make out with her when she goes on her break and you show her your quarters on the ship!" Ben started laughing uncontrollably, slapping his knee.

"**_I DON'T WANNA MAKE OUT WITH HER!!!_**" Shanks clenched his beer bottle, clenching his teeth and breathing heavily all because Ben was getting Shanks' goat.

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LOL, I think I love myself sometimes XD

ANYWHO! Thank **Lykainion **for missing my story :3 I've been busy lately so I have't been able to post, SORRY D: But since it was a really dead weekend, I've had the chance:3 So thank you so much **Lykainion**! X3


	9. Oh Really? Let's Go For a Walk

**_WARNING: OC. DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ._** It's as simple as hitting the backspace button.

Enjoy :3 **IMPORTANT: READ MY COMMENTS AT THE BOTTOM!** Espically for this chapter XD

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"Right." Ben coughed.

"You really need to stop smoking, Ben." Shanks' trivial anger turned into concerning guilt. Trying to ignore the stomach turning feeling, he took a swig of beer.

"Give me a break Shanks, I don't tell you how to run the ship now do I?" Ben smiled at him, leaning on his right arm on the bar's countertop.

"…Yes, yes you do." Shanks said gruffly. "Ben," he sighed. "That smoking is going to be the end of you I swear if you don't stop."

"I can run just as far and as fast as you can. I'm fine." Ben argued.

"Yeah, but you're panting and wheezing after it." Shanks started to get into the topic of 'quitting'.

"So are you."

"Not even in comparison."

"I'm older than you."

"By a year."

"You really wanna fight about this Shanks?"

"Not particularly. You're the logical one, Ben." Shanks said grimly. "You've been smoking since you were thirteen; it's only been seven years and you already have the cough."

"… you really do think I should quit." Ben sighed under his breath.

"At least cut back. Down to a pack a month for starters." Shanks drew out on a breath.

"Two." Ben negotiated.

"One." Shanks said stiffly. "Ten packs a month is ridiculous. Half of our inventory is smokes. And share with the crew. They'll love you more." He laughed.

"Bullshit." Ben laughed.

"Bullshit what?" Suzuna smiled, setting a glass of water in front of Ben.

"Same old same old." Ben took sips.

"I'm rationing his smokes." Shanks smiled happily.

"Really, he's that bad?" Suzuna asked.

"Ten a month." Ben laughed, getting it out in the open.

"Cigarettes?" she was rather confused.

"Packs." Shanks shook his head.

"Shit, Ben." Suzuna even sounded shocked.

"I'm cuttin' back." Ben sighed. Shanks wasn't alone anymore; Suzuna was going to bitch at him too now.

"Good." She smiled.

"So." Shanks started off. "When are you gonna be on break?"

Ben started laughing again.

"I'LL CUT YOU TO NONE." Shanks growled, blushing. And suddenly, by some miracle, Ben stopped laughing.

"I hate you." Ben glared.

"I'm captain. You don't _have_ to like me." Shanks smiled.

"Why, what's up Shanks?" Suzuna laughed, leaning on the wall behind her.

"Just figured we could go talk. You know, since your other cook isn't here and when she does show up, you'll be busy with all the dishes after words." Shanks shrugged, the beer bottle in one hand.

"… yeah, why not." She smiled. "Jingle!" she shouted.

"YEAH?" Jouichirou shouted back, rather busy with the pirates. 

"Think you could handle the shop for a bit?" she asked

"How long?" he questioned, thinking he didn't hear a time. 

"How long you think, Shanks?" Suzuna smiled over to him.

"Ten, twenty minutes?" he looked questionable.

"Half an hour!" she laughed.

"HEY." Shanks shrieked, his hair poofing a little.

"Yeah, sure. Hey, see if you can get Aki while you're out!" 

"Alright." She smiled. "Come on, Shanks. Let's get going." She lifted up a small section at the end of the bar, walking to the other side and setting it down.

"HALF AN HOUR?" he murmured, walking over to the door; holding it open for her.

"Hey Shanks, look, you can walk. Imagine that!" Ben sniggered taking Shanks' beer, receiving a disrespectful tongue out of Shanks' mouth.

"Shh!" she giggled, running out the door to the right.

"WAIT, the _beach_!" Shanks let go of the door. "It's the other way!" he followed her pointing behind him towards the ocean.

"But the cove's _this_ way. You'll like it, I promise." Suzuna smiled.

"People say I'll like a lot of things." Shanks shook his head quickly in the opposite direction every syllable. "Normally, I don't. Smoking; for one. Hate it."

"The cove is an extension of the sea." Suzuna laughed. "It's nice and peaceful, a lot like the beach."

"Oh. Well then. That changes my opinion greatly." He laughed sarcastically.

Suzuna slowed up and walked next to Shanks. "What was on your mind?" she asked coyly.

"Who was _your _captain?" Shanks laughed, shyly lacing their hands together.

Suzuna laughed again, gripping his hand. "I'll tell you when we get to the cove. There are ears all around town. People gossip you know."

"Yeah." Shanks laughed too. "So what's it like here?"

* * *

**ATTENTION! **I won't be posting this story for awhile now. No, it's not because I'm going to be busy, it's because I'm setting a goal :3

What I'm aiming for is to get up to 55 pages before I post again; it's gonna be a long chapter. Right now I'm at 35. If I have a week and a half where I don't write none to much at all, I'll post what I have so far. After all, I do get writers block, and I do get inspired, so we'll see how it all goes. If not, I'll just set myself a smaller goal next time. I'll have learned it was more than I could chew.

But wish me luck! Your support is very much loved! -- On that note; Comment! 


	10. Introducing! pt 2 Let's Talk and Cook

Here it is! I hope you all enjoy!  
_**Warning: OC**_; leave if not loved.

**FYI**! For those who are interested, I've made some art for this story!

**Cover** matured, you need an account to see, or see bold below in A.N., **Suzuna, ****Jouichirou/Jingle, ****Satoaki/Aki,** Here: sakamoto-ayumi. deviantart. com/ in my recentally added deviations.

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It's peaceful enough." She smiled. "Specifically, anything you wanted to know?"

"Nothing of real interest that I can ask out in public." His laughing dissolved into small chuckles. "How long have you been here?" trying to keep his mind off of the truly interesting questions, he decided to get a bit of background information; things that the people of the town probably already knew.

"Hm." Suzuna slightly pouted on the topic. "I'd say about… three and a half years. Nearly four."

"Yeah? You spent the entire beginning of your life on a ship? When did your Captain recruit you?" Shanks never really cared about gender on the ship. So long as they did their work and were loyal, he didn't mind them.

The only reason Shanks never had any female crewmates on the ship was because for one, Capt'n Rodger never allowed or supported women on his ship except for his wife and his daughter. Hypocritical, but he had his reasons. And second, Shanks had never come across any women that could hold their own up to a pirate; while they were good company; they couldn't do much as in the aspects of fighting or fending, or even holding down their liquor; Except for the wenches, but they just caused trouble.

Suzuna giggled, and leaned close to Shanks. Now she started to whisper. "You can't tell anyone, promise Shanks?" she was looking up to him, eyes gleaming that glimmer of trust that people have when they've found a friend.

"Yeah, of course." Speaking softly back, he subliminally understood what her eyes meant and replying back to her eyes with his winning smile.

"Not even Ben." She raised her eyebrows, knowing that a captain and his first mate were always close; usually friends in which anything was told. "At least not now." She smiled wearily. It was a big thing she was asking.

"When can we tell him what I don't know yet?" Shanks looked forward, laughing again.

"Well." She laughed solemnly. "I was my captain's daughter." She said in a straining whisper.

"…" Shanks stopped dead in his tracks, his arm being pulled with Suzuna, and his stare directly looking at her with the most dumbfounded look he had ever pulled. Never had he heard of this. A captain having a baby on a ship? He truly was dumbfound to the point of his speech being rendered from him.

"Shanks?" Suzuna stopped and looked around, laughing. "What, something I said?" her laugh became a little insecure, her pulse starting to raise.

"It-I-ua--…n-no." Shanks stumbled on himself, pausing for a moment, collecting his scattered marbles. "…really?" he questioned, eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah," Suzuna laughed softly, feeling foolish. Maybe she was right, maybe it was too much too soon. At least she didn't tell him _who_ her father was. Surly he would have gone crazy if this was how he reacted to that. She pulled her hand away to tuck her hair behind her ear and started walking again. "Well come on then. Time's ticking."

"Hey, hey-now," Shanks almost sounded like he was scolding, grabbing her hand again as it swung back, locking their hands tightly. "There's no rush; it's only been a few minutes, Suzuna." He smiled a sweet smile, tugging on her arm, pulling her a little closer. "And I was just… I've never heard of such a thing." He laughed, lying though his teeth. His captain had done it too, but Shanks never really saw Rodger's child. So it could have been a lie, but he never knew.

Suzuna smiled with a small giggle. "You scared me there for a second Shanks."

"Naw," Shanks scratched his chin. "Just… surprised me was all, love, that's all."

"Sorry," she couldn't stop laughing at his comments. "So why'd you stop here? I mean, we're just a small island you know." Suzuna brought out the obvious.

"Yeah, but some supplies are better then none. We were getting real low, we would've been starved by the time we got to the next port." Shanks, rather content with the island but slightly suspicious, flicked his saber in and out of the sheath with his thumb. "Besides, the navy's trailing us." He paused. "This is a low militarized port." As he thought about it, nothing was _low militarized_ now-a-days. "Well, you know what I mean." he laughed. She was the stevedore after all.

"You figured they wouldn't look for you here." She stated, smiling.

"Exactly." Shanks nodded.

Minutes passed as they went though various streets and alleyways, still hand-in-hand. Neither Shanks nor Suzuna felt awkward not talking to each other. Their presence seemed to be just enough. However for the sake of bonding, there was a nagging feeling of discomfort. Shanks nearly spoke a few times after opening his mouth, but he had nothing to say.

"It's just up ahead." Suzuna broke Shanks' meditated train of thought.

"Ok," was all Shanks could muster after the sudden burst of words that he heard. "Say, Suzuna…?" his voice had softened after watching her lead him all the way through the town. Maybe it was the town's relaxing sea atmosphere, or maybe Shanks was getting drowsy from the medicine… or maybe watching her just walk and move, her hair shifting on her back, seemed to mesmerize him to the point of a non-sexual seduction.

"Say Shanks?" Suzuna laughed, mimicking him in a playful tone; leading them though the last of the trails.

Shanks smiled a pleased grin. "Why did you want to leave?" his chime was of a lovers. And the only reason he asked this was because they were now _surly _out of ear-shot of everyone who gossiped in this town.

"…why?" Suzuna asked, slightly shocked as they walked out of the gloom of stone and into a plain of beautiful nature. And in this flora, golden cattails and wheat flowed as the wind blew, and grass waved in groups and flowers scented in harmony. Birds whistled and hummed as they flew over head and the trees leaves whispered in the wind.

"Yeah," Shanks laughed, looking at the amazing place as he stopped walking. True, he had been one for water, and he thought that nothing could top the sun rising on the ocean or the moon and stars gleaming in both the sea and the sky on a cloudless night; he thought _'this sure comes close'_.

"I'm not really sure, now that you bring it up." Suzuna released her hand from Shanks' as she turned around, facing Shanks and headed for a beaten path she had made. "I guess I just missed life out there."

"It is beautiful." Shanks laughed, putting his hands in his pockets and walking next to Suzuna, strutting almost.

"It sure is." She smiled softly, taking her hair back behind her ear again after the wind blew past her as she faced forward. "I don't know what I was thinking. I mean I never thought of anything logical. Headings or anything." She kicked a rock spiritedly in front of Shanks, making him kick it a few feet ahead for her to do so. "I like living here, but I miss out there more. I know I have friends here, but…" she laughed. "You know?" Suzuna asked. She really didn't know how to for her words, she just kept babbling.

"Yeah." Shanks laughed back at her. He snapped out of all these silly question ideas; he was there to find out some real heavy information after all. "Suzuna!" Shanks, over-excitedly, turned to his right and grabbed Suzuna's hands. "C'mon, who's your captain?" his smile was especially gleaming now, not only by the sun, but by his frou-frou attitude.

"I--" Suzuna heart sunk. He looked so handsome but he was acting so childish, it was adorable. It also sunk to the fact that she remembered how he reacted to _'I was my captain's daughter' _earlier. She was nervous now; what if he couldn't fathom the idea of what she would say? "… only if you tell me yours too." She smiled back, with slightly noticeable mixed emotions.

"…okay." Shanks laughed. He knew Suzuna didn't care about his bounty, so he, in return, knew that while this was big news, she would still accept it. Maybe with a little more respect for him too, he presumed.

"Really?" Suzuna was slightly taken back by his forward-looking attitude.

"Yes, really, I want to know, don't you?" he laughed again, getting sillier by the moment.

"Yeah." She smiled, a little more comforted. "On the count of three, understood?"

"Yes!" Shanks was very anxious, all this suspense by a woman was driving him insane.

"One…" Suzuna spoke.

"Two…" Shanks voiced.

"**Three**." They both boldly said.

"_Gol D. Rodger!_" They both rang out in unison.

Shanks' cape billowed in the wind.

" _wut?_" Shanks asked extremely perplexed, a certain softness in his voice.

Two happily, excited faces grew to shocked and doubtful ones with wide eyes and open mouths. They were staring their pasts in the face, and they couldn't believe it. Over four years ago they had been on the exact same ship, under the exact same command, sailing under the **exact**, _**same**_, _**flag**_. Of course they couldn't move; all that history together and they didn't even know it! Her father, their captains; he was the same person.

"Gold Rodger… was your captain…?" Suzuna finally asked, mousy nonetheless.

"Rodger was _**your **_captain? -- _**HE WAS YOUR FATHER**_?!" Shanks shouted, utterly shocked, amazed, bewildered and stunned all at once. "Are you serious!?" he let go of her hands to grab her shoulders.

"Are you?!" Suzuna asked back.

"…" Shanks stared at Suzuna, studying her shocked face. "… you were that kid that always hung out with the first mate…" his eyes contracted as he murmured and comprehended the situation.

"You were that slick guy that always was around the kid with the fake nose." Suzuna looked at Shanks with the same look.

"No, to all of my knowledge that thing was real."

"No way!" Suzuna made a disgusted face.

"Yeah," Shanks laughed, closing his eyes and hanging his head. "… _shit_, you were the girl they beat at the gallows… you _are_ Rodger's kid!" he continued to chuckle to himself.

Suzuna's heart and mind were washed over with emotion. She had thought everyone was killed; that she was the only one who made it. "… at the gallows…" she muttered. "… they lined the crew up, even my mother… announced everyone's names and then shot them…" she paused. "The colonel that killed my father whispered to me that two kids my age died the night before… and that… that they threw their bodies out in the ocean…!" Suzuna's voice became strained and her eyes watered as she gripped Shanks' shirt.

"No," Shanks said sympathetically, moving his hands up to the sides of her face. "Me and Buggy picked a fight with some guards and acted like we took some fatal blows. We did that so we could get out…" he paused to wipe Suzuna's tear off her smiling face; what he assumed to be tears of joy from knowing she wasn't alone anymore. "We swam back to shore and we got some disguises so we wouldn't be noticed…

… I saw how they beat you up, Suzuna. _God_, I wanted to kill them. I couldn't do anything though,… I'm sorry." He whispered to her. "I… I didn't know you made it. They killed Rodger and I _swore _they shot you." He leaned his forehead against hers, their noses touching.

"I fainted." Suzuna laughed. "I was so traumatized, I blacked out. They used the '_one_ _bullet I was worth_', missed and shot the support beam behind me." She sniffled. "Next thing I know, I was on the shoreline with some woman holding me in her arms."

"You know," Shanks laughed. "That's why we've been so close. Why we've been all over each other." He stroked her cheek bone. "Because we knew each other before we even realized it."

"I have _not _been all over you…!" She laughed, denying it.

"Oh, but haven't you, you vixen! _'I just want to help you and your crew, really I do. Just tell me…'_ you said _twirling_ my hair in your fingers." Shanks smirked, very flamboyant towards her.

"And **you**, grabbing my hand and holding it up to your face _'I'll tell you later'_," Suzuna said condescendingly sensuous, drawing closer to Shanks' face. "…_'Don't worry about it'._"

He could have kissed her, they were so close. "… touché." Shanks laughed.

She felt a shiver of heat rush up her spine from his breath. Rather alarmed and aware of what she was doing, she backed off, still holding his shirt she so feverishly gripped. "You look so different compared to back then." Suzuna laughed.

"So do you." Shanks chuckled. "You look so much like a woman rather than a boy now!" he laughed out loud, not realizing he just complasaulted her.

"Shanks!" she smacked his chest rather hard, smiling; knowing he meant well, but not saying it.

"Ow!" he continued to laugh. "What?" he asked, "it's true!" his laughing fits didn't seem to have an end.

"I'm going to kill you!" Suzuna hit him again, laughing this time.

"You can't do that!" Shanks saw this as an empty threat and for treating it lightly, he laughed more, stumbling away from Suzuna a few feet.

"Can so!" Suzuna started to chase him, following the running-like-hell Shanks, who decided to run back to the diner.

"Golly Rodger, love! You run like your old man!" Shanks laughed out, complasaulting her, and again, not realizing it.

"Speed up and you might provide a challenge!" Suzuna shouted at Shanks from behind, insulting him in return.

"Oh-ho-o! You cunning vixenish woman you!" Shanks continued to laugh, now in a high pitched manner due to his elevated breathing.

Complements, insults, and complasaults flew through the air for the next few minutes as they ran through the town's streets ranting and raving at each other on the way to the diner like children. Shanks couldn't help it; for one, he thought he was complementing Suzuna, and secondly, this was the girlish-like boy as he thought that he and Buggy used to play with when he was just starting out as a trainee. They bullshitted all the time with one another. And now? Well, she was a rather sexy woman. He was thrilled by the idea of her chasing him.

_"If I grab your cape, you're screwed!" _A familiar voice called.

_"If you can catch it!" _An extremely familiar voice replied, snickering.

"…Shanks?" Ben looked towards the door very questioningly.

Suddenly the door flung open with great force, and a flustered red-head flew in with the wind. "GET DOWN BEN!" Shanks shouted loudly laughing, making everyone silent, as he ran up to the bar and jumped over it.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Ben ducked and covered with his booze as a blur of red, black, white and tan hurtled over his head and behind the bar.

"Bugger!" Suzuna followed suit, only ducking under the entrance hatch at the bar. The front of her shoes were so worn out, not only did she have time to practice this sort of thing, she was good at it too.

Shanks, running like the over-enthused rabbit he was, dashed to his right at the stairwell; heading right for the supply closet. _"JOLLY RODGER!" _he shouted as he hit the back wall, sending him in a backwards fall, making Suzuna scream at the sudden goings-on, and taking her down with him while simultaneously making various pots, pans, cans and boxes fall around them.

"Shanks?!" Ben shouted, worried.

"Suzuna!?" Jingle shouted as well.

Shanks laid there on the floor, panting for dear life, and smiling about it. Suzuna, who was currently straddling Shanks, was hovering over him, arms shaking, panting just as hard. "That was… fun." He gasped. "We'll have to… do this again… sometime." He started laughing again.

"Ha!" Suzuna laughed. "No, … no, I don't think--"

And he kissed her. He wrapped his fingers in her hair and kissed her again, with a little more meaning. She sat there, her eyes wide open.

Shanks backed away and laughed. "Jolly Rodger, I've never felt more ali--"

Suzuna smacked him. Not out of anger, but shock. And it wasn't hard, though it sounded loud. "Humph." she grunted, embarrassed, standing up and walking out of the room. Ben stepped aside and let Suzuna out, laughing and shaking his head.

"… I don't believe I deserved that, Ben." Shanks laughed too, sitting up and rubbing his cheek.

"It sure was hilarious." Ben smiled.

"I think she likes me something fierce." Shanks stood up with a rather accomplished and perverted look donning his face.

"She's going to kill you, I swear." Ben, still laughing, shook his head at his friend as he stumbled out of the storage room.

"That's what _she_ said." Shanks chuckled. "Did'ja know she's Rod--" he caught himself. "I'm not supposed to tell you that yet." Shanks laughing, wagged his finger at Ben as he went back to the bar stool he sat on earlier.

"Tell me what?" Ben asked curiously, following Shanks to the bar. "Come on," he egged Shanks on by smacking his shoulder.

"Nope!" Shanks smiled contently. "Suzuna told me not to tell you yet; I figure she wants to tell you herself." He shrugged sitting on the stool.

"You know Shanks, you shouldn't be so cocky. After all; you stole a kiss." Ben shoved Shanks' shoulder, nudging him over a little. "Girls generally don't like that; kisses out of the blue by random men they just met." He laughed.

"Ben!" Shanks laughed smacking his hand on his chest. "_Please;_ it's **me **we're talking about." He laughed again, closing his eyes, smiling a cutely obnoxious grin as he leaned on the bar.

Ben chuckled at the ignorance his captain continually showed despite how obvious the situation was. "Suzuna, could I have--"

Jouichirou slammed a beer in front of both Ben and Shanks. "It's on the house." His eyes and tone of voice were bitter, in spite of the smile he wore. He titled his head and went of into the kitchen.

"…" Shanks stared at the beer, leery.

"…" Ben took a deep breath in and out. "You also piss off their male friends who want to kick your ass." Ben smiled sarcastically.

"Oh Jolly Rodger, it's spiked, isn't it?!" Shanks looked to Ben frightened.

"…" Ben was rather un-amused now.

Jouichirou walked past the ovens and the large sink and opened the pantry door. "Suzuna," he cautioned. "you're the waitress. You can't hide from the customers. No matter how much they kiss you." He laughed, kneeling and looking up at her as he rubbed his hand on right knee.

"…" Suzuna's other knee was furiously bouncing up and down as she occasionally ran her fingers over her lips, trying to forget that moment that happened moments ago. It only made her blush more. _"Stupid, stupid, men!" _she cursed over and over again in her head. "Why is your kind so stupid?!"

Jouichirou laughed. "Suzu," he smiled. "He's just a guy. --"

"But why does he have to be handsome?!"

"… you-you might want to quiet down a little,--" he leaned back to look out the door at the ordering window that had a perfect view to the bar.

"I mean--!!" Suzuna scoffed a sound of disapproval. "Do you know who he is?!" she whispered angrily. "That man is the boy on my fathers ship who I had a crush on, that I trained with everyday, the-the-the one the that--"

"Suzuna!" Jouichirou shook her shoulders. "Shanks _**and**_ Ben can both hear your mental break down from a kiss." He laughed at the adorably shocked face Suzuna wore. "Listen," he whispered. "We've known each other for a long time now. I know you were smitten with this Naval guy and I know it broke your heart, but it's over. You've been out of it for a long time. Shanks is a dashing guy, trust me, he's a lot of competition." As soon as Jouichirou finished, whistling, clapping and woo-ing and 'shut-up'-ing.

"Jingle, get to the point." Suzuna laughed.

Jouichirou smiled. "You should see him." He paused. "Just don't freak out. It's weird, ok? It doesn't score points." He chuckled.

"She finally find a boyfriend?" a snarkey, but calm, deep voice echoed in the small storage room. The lean figure leaned on the doorframe. Suzuna and Jouichirou looked up and he laughed. "Miss me?" his eyebrows twitched accentuating his smirk.

"…._**Satoaki.**_" Suzuna growled.

"You better run, Aki." Jouichirou advised calmly, accenting the word 'run'.

"Oh _**GOD**_, she's having a bad day." Aki rolled his eyes, turning around and walking over to the stove looking at all the orders laid out on the table. "Well shit, Suzu, we better get cracking if we want to feed these guys this week." He chuckled, bringing out his tools of the trade; a sharp butchers knife and a shining metal spatula.

"Aki's right you know." Jouichirou stood up and walked out. "Just 'cuz you got kissed doesn't mean you can slack off."

"SHE GOT KISSED?!" Aki shouted; purely ecstatic about the news. Surely everyone heard him if they were listening. "By who?!" he turned around, smiling, looking at Jouichirou.

"C'mere," Jouichirou tugged at Satoaki's shell necklace pulling him down so they weren't seen by the crew, but so that they could look at Shanks and Ben. "See that red-head? Next to the old looking dude with the lines under his eyes at the bar?"

"Yeah? Yeah, who was it, spit it out already!" Satoaki pointed his knife at Jouichirou.

"… the red-head at the bar." He said bluntly.

"HOLY SHIPS." Aki said loudly, making Shanks and Ben look up.

"Shit!" Jouichirou and Satoaki cursed, ducking behind the counter.

"C'mon blondie, we got some orders to fill out." Suzuna kicked Satoaki with a smile. "You too Jingle, go see if anyone needs new drinks." She did the same to Jouichirou.

"Well look who's all perked up." Satoaki smirked, placing his hands on his hips. Suzuna usually brooded over things like this for a little while before being happy again. At least that's how she was when he was around her. He had assumed she was going to be pissy all day.

"What's made you all happy all of a sudden?" Jouichirou asked smiling happily and chuckling a little at her resolve. Maybe Suzuna was pulling a fast one over their eyes, but she was convincing. Or maybe she was really happy. When it came to men and Suzuna, he never really knew until it was over.

"Jingle, you were right. Freaking out isn't my thing. So were you Aki;" Suzuna leaned down, out of the view of Shanks and Ben's sight and earshot. "Shanks is hot," she laughed. "And his crew needs nourishment. They need our expertise in the culinary arts, no?" she giggled holding out her hands to the both of them to help them up.

"So are you gonna see him more?" Jouichirou asked as he and Satoaki were pulled up. He danced around Suzuna, heading to the door, ordering pad and pen in hand.

"Go, you!" Suzuna shoved him out the door, smiling and laughing.

"Ok, ok!" Jouichirou turned around and headed out to the crowd of men chanting and yelling.

"… you really like him, this red-head." Satoaki grunted happily, crossing his arms as he leaned up against the dishwasher. "How'd you meet him?"

"Shanks?" Suzuna asked, stepping back a little, pulling out some utensils.

"…wut?" Shanks murmured, looking though the ordering window as he heard his name.

"Him, me and Ben all met at the harbor. He's the captain, Shanks is." Suzuna was now informing Satoaki on the recent goings-on. "Ben's his first mate." She was taking out all the pots and pans they might need over the next hour or so.

"Guess that'll make you the second." Aki sneered mocking her pirate blood playfully.

"Shut your mouth!" Suzuna shouted giggling more, throwing a pot cover at Satoaki. "He's charming enough, I don't need you to make jokes!"

"You hear that, Ben?" Shanks elbowed Ben vigorously. "I'm charming."

"Yes, yes, I know." Ben took bigger swigs of his beer.

"…" Shanks sighed angrily.

"What do you think of him, Aki?" Suzuna was right in view of the ordering window, a perfect place for Shanks to eavesdrop; which he was. "I mean," she laughed. "you know, from your male intuition." From what Shanks could see, she was now pulling out pans and a few boiling pots.

"Well," Shanks heard faintly from Satoaki. "He's handsome, I'll give him that." The single line that Satoaki uttered made Shanks grin, close his eyes and cock his head, pleased with what he was hearing. "…but he seems a little out of it."

"WUT?" Shanks thought, snapping his eyes open, his ears more attentive.

"He is _not _out of it." Suzuna defended, laughing and shoving Satoaki's arm. "They just got out of a storm. My dad used to take everyone to the closest port after a storm and let them get hammered just to help them relax. Now, I don't know if Shanks is doing the same thing, but give him a little bit, he'll even out." She paused, cutting up some onions with high-speed. "I remember when dad got us out of a storm. The crew was damn near dead." She finished speaking as Satoaki chopped as Suzuna did, but garlic and herbs.

"Damn straight." Shanks muttered, cracking his fingers outwards.

"What?" Ben asked; listening for once voluntarily.

"Wut?" Shanks countered sarcastically.

"Wait," Satoaki stopped. "… 'doing the same thing',… ARE YOU SAYING HE'S A TRAINEE OF RODGER? Oh my GOD, he's the one you were friends with!" Satoaki started rambling happily nuzzling up to her snickering and chuckling, all the pieces starting to connect in his mind.

"Do your work!" Suzuna laughed, shoving him away playfully.

"Aw," Satoaki laughed, "but baby, I missed you!" he laughed, glomping her for a short minute, messing with her.

"What's all this then?" Shanks thought peaking over the window, beer in hand.

"Stop it Aki," Suzuna giggled hip bumping him away, but to no avail. "Cut it out!" she elbowed Satoaki.

"Oww!" he clung to her still, laughing it out. "Baby! I'm only worried about you!" his laughing became high-pitched, a giddy school-girl laugh. He looked up into the restaurant, seeing Shanks very curiously peaking in on them. Satoaki winked at Shanks, smirking his suggestive smile.

Feeling a wave of embarrassment and slight jealously come over him, Shanks flushed slightly, sinking back in his seat. "God'amn blonde's 'an their smiles." he cursed.

"What are you jinxing about now, Shanks?" Ben asked calmly, spinning his beer bottle around on it's butt aimlessly.

"Oh, nothing," Shanks sighed leaning back, cracking his now sore back. "Nothing."

"Liar," Ben chuckled. "You always say that when you have something to say."

"So?" Shanks growled trivially, glaring over at Ben with guilt.

"Hey," Jouichirou popped up in front of the two. "Did you guys want something else to drink? Or something else to eat for that matter? I know you guys just ate a little while ago, but I dunno, you guys have bottomless pits for stomachs." He laughed, pushing his hair out of his eyesight.

"Uh," Ben stammered. "I still have some water, I'm good. Shanks?"

"I still haven't finished my beer you gave me, thanks Jingle." Shanks smiled emotionlessly.

"Alright, food?" Jouichirou asked, ordering pad in hand.

"**Oh, good Rodger, NO**." Shanks and Ben groaned.

"I've had my breakfast share for today thank you very much!" Shanks held his stomach, remembering that full feeling he had, how he felt he was about to burst. And that medicine, dear lord, he didn't want to go though that again.

"I'm still full." Ben laughed, shaking his left hand at Jouichirou. "My compliments to Suzuna." He smiled.

"_Thanks Ben!_" Suzuna said from in the back kitchen, laughing.

"Never mind." Ben laughed.

"Ok then, I'll be around if you guys need me." Jouichirou smiled, heading back into the kitchen. "Suzu, I need the keys for the cellar real quick."

"Ok," Suzuna came out from the walk-in pantry, holding five or six boxes and a few cans, trying to jiggle the keys off her belt.

Satoaki started laughing at her difficultly. "Here sweetheart," he took the boxes and cans, setting them on her workstation freeing her hands.

"Bring them back." Suzuna said, tossing the keys over her shoulder to Jouichirou while heading to her station, opening the boxes. "Aki, you wanna handle the sauces? I'll get the main dishes."

"Yeah, sure. Jingle! Bring me back some red wine!" he shouted as Jouichirou headed out the door.

"You're working!" Suzuna laughed. She started to toss the boxes and cans she pulled for Satoaki over her shoulder and to him. "Heads up Aki."

"I do better buzzed, you know that." Satoaki laughed back, catching the various products blindly; placing them where he could best reach them later. "Suzu, where's the olive oil?" he asked shuffling though the cupboards.

"Should be on the third shelf." Suzuna told, pulling out oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic down from the spice rack to her right, where she'd be able to grab them later. "Do you have a hair tie on you?"

"Yeah," Satoaki shuffled though his pant pocket, grabbing his leather wallet and pulling out a ribbon. "I'll get it, keep doing what you're doing." He walked over to her and pulled the ribbon behind her hair, starting to tie it in a bow. Satoaki leaned down, whispering in her ear. "Shanks is watching you." He laughed, pulling the bow tight, tapping her shoulder and walking back to his station on the other side of the room.

Suzuna acted like she was rummaging through the cabinets, but peered her eyes over to the ordering window only to see a red-headed Shanks peek over the bar once in a blue moon. Smiling with a slight grunt, she blushed and went back to her item sorting.

"Told you." Satoaki laughed, starting to boil water and heating up the pans. Cutting the large stick of butter next to him into fours with his spatula, he scooped them up placing them into four different pans, making them all sizzle and pop slightly. "What's the plan after we feed the homeless?" he laughed, dashing pepper and garlic into the butter and salt into the water for the spaghetti.

"We clean the dishes!" Suzuna told, smiling, twirling a box of flour in her hand.

"Ew." Satoaki shivered considerably. "Can't we… let them soak and pull them out clean later?"

"And let the cleaning fairy take care of everything?" Suzuna laughed at Ben's pervious cleaning actions. "Besides, do you really want to put you hands in a giant cesspool an then call it clean?" she asked rhetorically. "No," she walked to the freezer, pulling out some hamburger. "That's disgusting. I won't have that in my kitchen." She laughed.

"Fine. I call drying." Satoaki laughed.

"…hey, Aki?" Suzuna called coyly. She cut open the hamburger container and placed it in the frying pan. As she threw the bag into the garbage can, she started chopping up the meat as it cooked and sizzled.

"S'up Suzu?" Aki questioned back, adding the spaghetti noodles to the water. He pulled up his pants, as the pans started to crackle rapidly when he added various attributes to the mixes.

"Where the HELL were you?!" She threw flour at his back, smiting him for not showing up to work on time. "You could have at _least_ told Jingle where you were so he could tell me." She was trying to figure out where her employment went.

"Ha!" Satoaki laughed. "I really don't think you'd want to know." He sighed happily.

"Jolly Rodger, Aki." Suzuna laughed, having a slight cringe on her face.

"Aki, red wine!" Jouichirou pushed open the kitchen door, tossing in the bottle towards Satoaki.

"Got'cha!" He caught the bottle with ease, laughing.

"Order up!" Satoaki shouted, setting the plate on the ordering windows shelf, smacking his oil covered spatula on the shelf, making more noise since the crew had gotten quite louder over the past half an hour.

"Served!" Jouichirou called back, grabbing the plate and heading back off into the mess of men.

Suzuna sighed. "Are we done yet?" she wiped the sweat from her brow tiredly.

"Just a few more orders, Suzu, we can do it." Satoaki laughed. "Suck it up, you can take the breakfast orientated meals."

"Alright." She scratched her head looking over to the order slips on the window "Biscuits and gravy.." She murmured. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw a red blob move. She looked up to see Shanks talking to Ben, laughing nonetheless. He turned his head back towards her, noticing her look up. He smiled and lifted his third bottle of beer to her, then took a swig.

Suzuna laughed looking the other way and blushing.

"God, you flirt so bad." Satoaki laughed. "I can hear you flirt; that's pathetic." He took another sip from the now barely-existent red wine Jouichirou fetched him as he sautéed some onions by flipping them in the air and back into the pan.

"You're one to talk!" Suzuna smirked, grabbing the biscuit batter and a spatula, pouring little spots of batter onto the smoking top of the oven. "You still have white gravy over there?"

"Yeah, enough for about a order and a half." His inventory was getting low. Feeding all these pirates wasn't as easy as the thought it would have been. And what was it? Only a little after noon? "Shit," he sighed. "It's gonna be a late dinner rush, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO CANCEL MY DATE." he hung his head low.

"Date?" Suzuna questioned quizzically turning around and looking at Satoaki's back. "You haven't had one of those in a long-- Oh. That's where you were." Her happy voice dramatically trailed off into embarrassment at her realization as she flipped the biscuits on their other side.

"My smart little girl!" Satoaki laughed. "Hey now, don't change the subject, you little snitch!" he laughed aggressively. "What in the WORLD do you mean I shouldn't be 'one to talk'? You LOVED my flirting." He bragged adding cubed potatoes to the onions.

"You were a _tease_, Aki, of course I liked it." Suzuna explained. "God you had a good body." She began to become nostalgic about their fling back when.

"**HAD**? _**Have**_, aka-chan!" Satoaki scolded happily. "Oh hey, that reminds me, we still up for jogging next week Suzu?" He was making clam chowder, he added diced clams into the mix for a second or two, then tossing it all into the boiling base of gravy.

"Of course. If I ever want to be as good as my mother as far as fighting skills go, I'll be more than happy to be your running buddy." Suzuna happily agreed, pulling out another porcelain plate, and ripping the biscuits apart placing them on one side of the plate.

"Sweet, we can talk about this Shanks character more." He laughed, adding cheese and stirring the chowder briskly. He also flipped some hash browns where he previously had the cubed potatoes cooked, nearly finished.

"Yeah, whatever." She laughed, walking over to his station and grabbing the remaining gravy, pouring it over the biscuits she brought with her. "Ooh, thank you Aki." She grabbed two of the four has browns he was cooking.

"HEY." He snapped at her. "I was using those!"

"Was." She snickered. "Order!" she called for Jingle.

"Watch yourself," Jouichirou said as he slid some dirty dishes down a slide that put them in a sink to pre-soak, then grabbing the new order in the window, dashing off after words.

"Ben." Shanks called.

"Shanks?" Ben asked.

"… what drink number am I on?" he asked slightly buzzed.

"What do you care? Ben chuckled. "It's not like Suzuna's going to think you're an alcoholic."

"_I know that_," Shanks said in a snarky attitude. "This is a business, I don't want to rob this place of rum or anything."

"I think you're on your fourth or fifth." Ben said looking though the bottom of his beer bottle. "Dammit." He sighed. "You cutting yourself off too?"

"Might as well." Shanks nodded, sighing with Ben. "It's not even dark. I like being drunk when it's dark. I don't get headaches."

_"Order!" _Satoaki shouted.

"Yeah." Ben smiled and nodded too. "I see where you're going with that one."

"Yeah." Shanks continued to nod.

Jouichirou walked past.

"Oi! Jingle." Shanks batted at him lazily as . "What do you recommend for getting off a buzz?"

"… time. But if you're talking about food, wontons." Jouichirou paused. "They even you out pretty good on a slight buzz. Want me to order them for you?"

"Ben?" Shanks asked.

"Sure." Ben smiled. "Wontons sound good."

"Please." Shanks nodded and smiled. "Water too, for the both of us." He added.

"Right." Jouichirou turned around. "Suzu, fry up some wontons for Shanks and Ben, sobering up ones." He walked off.

"Got it." She walked over to the freezer again.

"_Sobering up __**wontons?**_" Satoaki laughingly questioned.

* * *

**Headings**: navigation or direction in which way to go.  
**Complasault**: to complement, but insult all at once. This word I made up with a friend.  
**Aka-Chan:** used affectionately as 'baby'. As in "Baby I love you," only Aki uses it mostly in sarcasm.

Snarky is a word! Google it XD

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Hey guys! I hoped you liked this chapter! I really enjoyed writing it X3 Even though it took me forever And I'm sorry for the wait; for one, I haven't had much inspiration lately, secondly, I've been busy so I haven't been able to get to the computer lately to write nor post!

But I thank all of you who have been patiently awaiting and comment! I love all your comments very much and I take them all to heart, after all, I'm writing it for all us Shanks fans out there! X3

By the way, I've gotten two comments on Shanks about some 'lemon' writing with Suzuna, what do you all think about that? Input decides what happens! >O

Finally, I've been on an art spurge lately, and I wanted to make some illustrations/short-comics from this story. So, I was wondering if any of you would like to tell me your favorite part(s) of this story. If you'd like to participate, send your favorite scene(s) or a select few lines to me at; . From there, I'll start making them and posting them on . When it comes time for me to post the next chapter, I'll give you links to the illustrations you wanted me to draw. **ALSO! If you wanted to see the cover for this story and do not have a DeviantArt account, and do NOT mind a little nudity; e-mail me saying you want to see the cover and I'll send it to you. HOWEVER, do not redistribute it in ANY WAY. The art is mine, those are my rules**

**Thank your for reading! Don't forget to comment! X3**

I don't think I'm going to make the next chapter this long. I'm think since I just went from 35 to 55, I'll go from 55 to 65/70. That'll be 10 to 15 pages instead of 20 :3


	11. Loving Sleep

**OCs**, **Romance with actual character**, **don't like**, **don't read**, you know the drill

Enjoy :3

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The dinner rush never came on the account of the Red-Haired pirates occupying the diner, and they never ordered any dinner because, well, they had stuffed their mouths with food and drink. And they were still drinking.

The kitchen's flames died down, and soon enough, the only thing that was being ordered was the occasional drink. Satoaki had gone on his date hours ago; since it was now a breeze for Suzuna and Jouichirou to handle the Red-Haired crew.

Suzuna was scrubbing the last of the dishes that were piled over the day. She pulled the plate out of the water, shook it of any access water and began to dry the plate with a towel. Sighing and closing her eyes, her hand mindlessly dried in a circular motion.

She was getting tired, there was no doubt about that in her mind. Suzuna had had an eventful day. She met the Red-Haired crew, gotten the captain a stomachache, verbally abused, aimlessly flirted upon and too, kissed, and overworked.

"Ughh…" she rolled her head about her shoulders, stretching her neck and cracking a few stiff spots out. "I can't believe I still have to go and fix my roof." She moaned tormented by the thought of the back pain she soon would have in the morning.

_"Suzuna…!"_ a faint voice called to her.

"Hm?" she tilted her head dazed now at the thought of sleep.

The kitchen door opened, Jouichirou following suit. "Suzuna," he said again. "We're out of liquor, what should we do?"

"… all out?" Suzuna asked. Mrs. M had taught her a trick; if you're half out of stock, add half water half liquor and that should get you through the night.

"Yeah, pretty much. All except that one bottle you've been saving up." Jouichirou answered, leaning up against the cutting table. "I know you wanted it, so I didn't consider serving it."

"Thanks." Suzuna said humdrum while smiling. She turned the plate over and began that side of the drying. "….uh," she sighed. "…why don't you head home?" Suzuna told him. "We're out of liquor, so, I'll just close up and head uptown to get a new stock for tomorrow morning." There wasn't anything else to do aside from that. It's not like they could have served the one bottle to all of them.

"You sound tired Suzu." Jouichirou smiled walking up behind her. "You sure you don't want me to lock up?" he started to massage her shoulders. He knew that if he got her tired enough from the massaging, she would cave in and go home herself and not over exude herself.

"No, Jingle, I have to tile my roof, I might as well close up." She set the plate down to air dry as she hung her head, feeling better from the massage.

"Mahh-- Suzu," he laughed. "I don't think it's wise to tile your roof in the near dead of night." Jouichirou tried to convince whole-heartedly. He paused as he stopped massaging. "Suzuna, if the hole in your roof is bugging you that much, you can come stay with me for a few days until you get it done." He held her in a hug.

"That's nice of you Jingle, but I'll never get anything accomplished if I stay at your place. Having a hole in my roof makes me want to fix it." Suzuna paused to grab Jouichirou's arms. "How am I supposed to learn responsibility if I put things off?"

"How are you supposed to sleep if the outside elements are whipping though your shack?" Jouichirou laughed. "And if you have no sleep, how are you supposed to get energy? Without energy how are you supposed to function?"

"Well said." She laughed as well.

"At least let me go order the liquor." He let go of Suzuna and stood next to her, facing the opposite direction. "… since you're going to be so stubborn about it." He smiled happily at her.

"Ok." Suzuna smiled, her head down, sighing. "Order a restock for noon."

"Alright. Sleep well." Jouichirou leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." He waved goodbye, heading out the back entrance; out the back kitchen door to the dumpsters.

"Right then." Suzuna sighed. She made a trip around the kitchen, blowing out the candles and locking up the back door. Then making sure the pantry was closed tightly and that all the gas was turned off, she headed out into the dining area behind the bar. "Hey Shanks." Suzuna smiled tiredly, leaning in front of him.

"Hey yourself." Shanks smiled, his attitude perking up. "All done in the kitchen?"

"Yep," she sighed out. "Hey, …I need you to get your crew outta here. We're all out of liquor, and we have to close." She scratched her head out of slight embarrassment.

"Oh, shit, we drank you dry?" Shanks pulled back shocked. "Damn, I'm sorry Suzuna!" he apologized taking her hands holding them to his forehead and bowing his head.

"No, Shanks, it's ok, I can get restocked tomorrow. It's just I need to close up now, and I'm too tired to do it, so I need you too." Suzuna smiled sweetly at him.

"Oh." Shanks looked blank. "Ok." He laughed, now the one embarrassed. He let go of her hands and turned around. Shaping his right middle finger and thumb into a C, he placed said fingers just unto his mouth and blew a shrieking whistle from his lips, silencing his crew. "Out!" he said boomingly. "Shop's closed!"

They all groaned and muttered to themselves, picking up their bottles and lazy behinds out the door and to the ship.

"That was a chilling voice you have there." Suzuna commented laughing once the crew was out of the diner.

"Impressed?" Shanks asked looking over his shoulder.

"Very." She smiled. "What happened to Ben?"

"Oh, he just went to the john a minute ago." Shanks waved it off. "…Those were some good wontons." He laughed. He was never good at small talk. Especially with a woman.

"Thanks." She laughed rubbing her eyes free of the accumulated crust as she yawned.

"You tired?" Shanks swung around to look at the person that made that high-pitched sigh, smiling at how cute it happened to be.

"Completely. It's been an eventful day." Suzuna looked up at Shanks, half smiling. She started twirling her hair around her right index finger and bouncing one leg up and down repetitively; a sure fire indicator that she was fighting to stay awake. "I just wanna lock up and get some sleep, ya know?" she laughed.

"Oh," Shanks chuckled. "I know." He sighed. And in truth, Shanks really did know. For one, he spent a lot of energy on getting his remarkable crew out of that hurricane; and secondly, the energy he had left, he spent on running around town with Suzuna after getting himself into idiotic trouble.

"Ughhh…" Suzuna groaned, leaning the entire upper half of her body on the bars counter. _"This is ridiculous," _she thought. _"I'm tired, I'm __**never **__tired…"_ and then a thought hit her. "Oh good god," she whined. "I'm getting old!" she buried her head into her arms.

"…" Shanks, dumfounded and stunned Suzuna would say that, began to laugh hysterically. "You're not old!" he chuckled out. Then Shanks started to laughed even harder; "Love, if you were old, you'd--…" his voice trailed off very quickly as his laughter dissolved into minuscule chuckles. Shanks placed a hand on Suzuna's shoulder, causing her to sit up slightly; curious of his unfinished sentence. "You're not old." He laughed once more leaning his forehead up against hers.

"…Shanks…?" Suzuna called softly. She was confused; since when did conversations people had with captains end with said captain leaning on you?

"Hmm?" Shanks had closed his eyes, and he was smiling. She had such soft skin and a warm atmosphere, he forgot the fact that they hardly could remember anything about each other. "--… _**oh**_." He snickered. "Sorry." Shanks huffed, moving back, still smiling that smile of his.

"No it's, it's ok." Suzuna laughed, waving at Shanks with her right hand; embarrassed. Shanks was a kind gentleman of sorts; he said his hellos and apologies… he was starting to truly take a toll on her.

"So, Suzuna?" Shanks asked, leaning on his elbows; still very close to Suzuna. "What's all this I hear about your house having a roof problem?"

"Eavesdropper!" Suzuna nudged his shoulder with the palm of her hand.

"It's not eavesdropping if you can hear it across the room." Shanks said bluntly and sarcastically, grinning very conniving at her.

"…touché, I suppose." Suzuna laughed. Pausing to sigh, she closed her eyes. "Yeah, my little shack's falling apart. The roof caved in a few months ago, and I haven't had the time or the money to really fix it. So right now it's just a blue tarp nailed down to keep most of the weather out." She paused again. "It's just, I was supposed to go home after I closed up and work on it, but I doubt I can. The moon's not out; I don't know where I put my lanterns, it's cold; I really don't want to get sick, and I'm miserably tired." She complained.

"… I can help." Shanks smiled.

"What?" Suzuna asked, dazed and confused still.

"With the roof," He laughed. "when you have some free time, let me know and we can take care of that hole."

"… tell me you two didn't just make sex plans." Ben, fresh from the bathroom and knowing nothing of the conversation, walked in. Rightfully freaked out, his face looked stunned.

"BEN." Shanks scolded straightening his back out, just as shocked.

"Ok, you guys need to get out now." Suzuna laughed. "I need to clean up."

"Alright." Shanks sighed and smiled in a gloomy way. "C'mon Ben, the little lady here needs her sleep. The sooner we leave the sooner I can get my sleep." He laughed, being egotistical again.

"Of course." Ben laughed, shaking his head. "Take it easy Suzuna," he started walking to the door as Shanks stood up and did the same. "Sleep well." Because even though Ben didn't really hear about her being tied, he could just tell. After all, he had been babysitting Shanks for a long time now.

"Thanks Ben, you too." Suzuna smiled gratefully. "The same for you Shanks."

"Of course love." Shanks smiled. "Sweet dreams." He waved as he and Ben headed out the door and into the dark covered street.

"Well," Ben scoffed. "aren't you getting emotional." Slipping his hands in his pockets, he started heading for the ship. "_**'LOVE'**_." He scoffed.

Shanks started laughing as he stretched in front of the diner door. "I am getting _tired_, Ben." He paused. "I get more sentimental as I start losing energy." He peered over into the window to see Suzuna very slowly do her work. "…"

"Shanks?" Ben called as he noticed his friend wasn't next to him anymore.

"Ben…" Shanks started off. "…what does it mean when you want to help someone?"

"Well… whadda mean?" Ben, just about as confused as Suzuna probably was a few minutes ago, asked as he made his semi-tired way back to Shanks.

"Suzuna. I'm kinda… worried." Shanks said looking a Ben.

"She's just cleaning up, Shanks, what could you be worried about?" Ben asked, leaning up against some barrels that were outside the diner.

"She just seems so tired. I dunno, I wanna help her. She's all alone." Shanks started to murmur to himself a little; but still audible for Ben to hear.

Ben chuckled. "You're feeling guilty." He paused. "She told you she was tired and you just up and left."

"So what does that mean?" Shanks was getting annoyed. He scrunched up his face and glared at Ben.

"Go help the poor girl." Ben pushed himself off the barrels, and started heading down the street alone. "You want to bond with her, that's fine. You need the love." His voice was getting quieter as he walked on off to the ship.

"What about you Ben!?" Shanks asked, feeling broken-hearted for ditching Ben, even though Ben ditched Shanks.

"Don't worry about me!" Ben laughed. "I can live without love. As long as I'm alive and friends with you, Shanks, that's all I need." His loud laughing dissipated into chuckles.

"…" Shanks smiled, and laughed at Ben's forward looking attitude. Not giving that touching moment another thought, he went for the door handle, and went back inside to see Suzuna.

"Sorry," Suzuna said sadly, "we're closed. We'll be back open tomorrow at 3 in the afternoon." She was pulling out rags and buckets and soap to clean up.

"Well I'm not here for food." Shanks laughed, make a very suave walking jester over to her while whipping off his cape and throwing it on the bar.

"Shanks." Suzuna said shocked that he was there. She was still on the floor, mixing the soap with water for the tables, looking up at him.

"Hi again." Shanks smiled charmingly, rolling his sleeves up.

"Need something?" She smiled, straightening out her back and standing up.

"No, not really." He laughed, walking around her much like a dancing manner and grabbing the mop that Suzuna had in a bucket and up against the table's edge. "Just like to help is all." He cutely wrapped his hands around the mop's handle and then rested his head on his hands. "You mind?"

"… no." Suzuna laughed still smiling, flustered by Shanks' appearance. "Thanks."

"Notta problem, Suzuna." His voice was soft. "Anything specifically you need me to get?" he grunted, picking up the full-of-water bucket.

"If you could start off with the kitchen, then the supply closet, then the second floor hall and stairs, I should be done washing off the bar and tables and then you could finish off this deck." As she named off all the places she appropriately pointed to them, then taping her foot on the floor. "How's that sound?"

"Sound's like a plan." Shanks flipped his hair out of his face. "I'll be back before you know it." He winked at her, heading off to the kitchen.

Suzuna laughed, her head tilted. She shook his look off, and went to grab her cleaning the supplies. Se she began cleaning the bar top, only to look at the door, and see that she needed to change the sign so that the dearly beloved customers wouldn't come in early only to have no staff waiting on them.

She sighed loudly, walking over to the door and snatching the sign off of it. "Shanks," Suzuna groaned, trying to grab his attention through the order window.

"Yes?" Shanks replied happily, popping his head out of the window, smiling.

Suzuna laughed tiredly at his chipper attitude. "Can you toss me the markers on the counter?" she asked sweetly. "They should be just under the ledge there."

"…" Shanks retracted his head, and looked under the window's ledge on the counter looking for the marker. "… the red one or the black one?" he asked picking them both up, and showing them to Suzuna.

"Both." Suzuna smiled, holding up her hands, motioning or him to toss the markers her way.

"There ya be." He tossed them at the same time to her, then leaning on the window.

"Thanks." Suzuna replied, popping the caps off and pulling the sign closer to her.

"Of course." Shanks laughed. "…" he started reading off what she was writing on the cardboard sign. "_Opening… 3 PM… closing… usual_." He paused as she shifted down the cardboard. "… _sorry to disappoint,… but current events… have caused… supply decrease dramatically_." Shanks chuckled out. "_While shipment will… be at noon, please allow… time for staff to restock. Suzuna_." He paused. "Sorry about all that."

"No, it's ok. It happens once and a while." She laughed, putting the sign back up.

"You sure?"

"It's not like you did anything wrong and need to make up for it." She smiled, going back to work. "Sometimes we get the Navy in here and they empty us out even more than your crew did. And they come in waves." She let out a small laugh. "Don't even pay us at all."

"Well I'm sure I could make up for it somehow." Shanks laughed again, perversely this time. "If you wanted me to." He smiled cunningly leaning on the window, his eyes shooting suggestiveness at her.

In a very tired roll of giggles, Suzuna sighed. "Tempting, as sex should be, but I think not." She paused, almost falling asleep in her spot.

"Suzuna," Shanks chimed to her with unknown seductiveness. "…Suzuna,… love." He kept calling, trying to grab her attention. "Suzuna!" he called in a strained whisper to her.

"…! Hmm?" Suzuna stumbled back a little bit, shaking her head. She looked over to Shanks, blinking a few times rapid fire.

Shanks smiled sweetly. "Suzuna, if you're opening at three in the afternoon, why not come in early enough to take care of this then?" he asked. "You just fell asleep standing, it's a little concerning. And its not all that late either, are you alright?"

"Just tired." Suzuna smiled. "… well, actually, I was a little insomniac before you all showed up. I had just gotten over it. It's been leaving me tired as of late."

"Insomnia?" Shanks asked, shifting his weight. "How?"

Suzuna shrugged, rubbing her eye. "Just happened. Stress induced maybe."

"… want me to walk you home?" His voice was soft, sincere.

Suzuna, her head still in the gutter about Shanks' sex joke, and then him offering her to walk her home, rather confused her. She couldn't make since of it. "Excuse me?"

"No," Shanks laughed, running his fingers though his hair. "To just make sure you get there. I wouldn't want you collapsing in the street or on the beach." He paused. "After all, what fun would you be if you got sick?" Shanks laughed softly.

Suzuna laughed with him "Alright. Walk me home." She nodded, scratching her ear and turning for the door.

"Good girl." Shanks chuckled, leaving the mop and bucket in the kitchen. "Because," he started off as he grabbed his cape, whipping it on himself. "I would have drug you off over my shoulder kicking and screaming if you insisted on no." he sped walked up to Suzuna, opening the door for her and holding out a hooked left arm for her to grab on.

"How gentleman-like." Suzuna smiled, latching onto his arm as he lead her out of the diner.

"Well it's better than letting you be stubborn." Shanks smiled in return, slowing his walking pace as they made their way down the street, enjoying their time together, alone.

"Remind me to thank you in the morning." She laughed, leaning her head on Shanks shoulder.

"Alright." Shanks hummed, his heart soaring.

"…I'm sorry for burdening you, Shanks." Suzuna sighed.

"No, it's fine." Shanks smiled, tilting his head on Suzuna's slightly. "I don't mind. So long as you're safe." His voice had gotten deeper, softer.

"…" Suzuna stopped walking, still attached to his arm. Shanks, in a very wobbly manner, was pivoted by his arm, making him face Suzuna. "Why do you care so much? -- I mean, we knew each other when we were kids, but… how is now any different?"

"We…" Shanks started off, startled by the question. He laughed, sighing, and smiled at her. "You're a good person Suzuna. I'm not sure, maybe you've killed me with kindness, or maybe I'm… falling for you now that you're a woman." He paused, brushing the miscellaneous hairs that danced in front of her behind her right ear. "I just… " he took a prolonged breath. …"care about you…" he murmured exhaling, brushing the other set of hair behind her other ear and pulling his hand back across her cheek. "Let's get you to bed." Shanks grinned, tugging her towards the beach, he eyes glowing, heart pounding and smile soft.

"You never give up." Suzuna laughing, trudging on with feet dragging somewhat, still latching to Shanks' arm and shoulder.

"That's me." Shanks laughed, his voice echoing in the street.

And before Shanks sadly knew it, they were on the beach, and only a few seconds before they got to the shack. "… what time are you gonna be up, Shanks?" Suzuna asked, starting to leave the strength and warmth of Shanks' arm, and went to lean on her door.

That meant that Shanks was left with an almost un-bearable chill on his arm whenever the wind blew. His eyes were where she was, and then to where she actually was at the current moment. "Me? --always up with the sun." he smiled at her. "Ol' Rodgers curse." He continued to laugh, smiling that smile.

"…" Suzuna crossed her arms and leaned forward a bit. "I'm not…I'm not leading you on, am I?" she asked, doubling her sentences, mostly out of nervousness and the sandman.

Laughing even more, Shanks tucked his thumbs under his belt and dropped his head. Once he was sure his face wasn't flushed, he brought his head back up, "Just a little, sweetheart." and winked.

"Sorry," feeling a little flushed herself, she looked off to the ship stationed in the harbor. "… I should probably let you go, Ben must miss you." She looked back up to him and was look for excuses now. It wasn't that she didn't want him around, it was just she didn't know where to go from here and she didn't want to boot the wide-eyed, bushy-tailed captain out on his rear…. She really did enjoy his company after all.

Shanks got the hint, being as witty as he is. "I should probably let you go too," he paused, straightening up and looking out to his ship, then letting his eyes wander back to her. "your bed must miss you." He chuckled. "But you're right." He closed his eyes and cocked his head. "I should let you get some rest."

"If you'd like lunch and dinner, that would be wise." Suzuna nodded, embarrassed and moving her hands to her pockets.

"You've gotten shy, …_Anuzu_." Shanks laughed, as this wind kicked up again, quivering anything with loose clothing and hair. He faced back towards her. "Smells like the round-abouts of that hurricane are heading this way. Keep yourself locked down for me, eh?" he took one of her hands and kissed it. "Sweet dreams, Suzuna." He walked away from her, and headed for the ship, still holding on, yet loosening his grip. "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned his back to her and started walking off.

"…" Suzuna sighed, smiling. Was she just sleep-deprived or did she hear her heart break? "S…" it must have, because half of it just jumped in her throat. "Shanks…!" it came out rather pathetically, rather pitched and distressed as she pushed her self off the door and a few feet towards the red-headed flirt.

"Wha--!!" he turned around just in time to unexpectedly wrap his arms around her waist and pucker up to meet her lips. "_Well_," the thought crossed his mind. "_this is nice_." He decided not to be shocked, but enjoy this. After all, he barely made any moves, and here he was, on the beach getting kissed.

He titled his head a little more and leaned back, enjoying the stress on his lower half, and enjoying, even more, that he was separating himself from Suzuna, making her reach for his mouth. "Suzuna, love," he was smirking once he backed off, eyes glistening and heart throbbing again. "Shouldn't you be getting to bed?"

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CLIFFHANGER XD **_Wuts next_**, you say? Lemon, you say? ... I dunno XD

Oh my gosh D: It's been 33 days since I last updated, lol XD --I hope this satisfies you all :3 And what makes me happy is reading all of your guys' comments, I mean, really! I love it when people respond to me :D Which leads to respond to some comments you left me! :3

To **yourfuturequeen**: Thank you! :3 It means a lot, since I really do try to get personalities down to feel natural. But I can't say much for the "other Mary-Sues", since the stories I've read aren't all that terrible; but I have an open mind towards these things since, well, I write with OCs XD

To **1gumgumaway**: I wish they had more info on certain side-characters too D, but usually if you peruse the net here and there you can find random bits and pieces of things that you never knew; even with fan art too. I've done that thousands of times X3

To **uma**: Indeed, it was prolonged XD;; I was filling some parts in, kind of trying a different style. Didn't like it too much, but I believe I've gotten better at explaining things because of it :3 -- D: I never even thought about it, a sequel. But it sounds brilliant! And to be truthful, the moment I read your comment, ideas for it just started filling my head X3 I could even use some of my old material that's... bad and make it better X3 Thanks so much!

To **pirateXfangirl**: Yes! Thank you for being interested! Did you need a link to the picture, or did you need me to send it directly to you?

SO, about the whole "lemon" thing, I don't think it's that I mind it, actually, I think it'd be fun, I just don't know if I COULD write it... you know, well. ... How about this, in the next chapter, I add a little lemon in it since, duh, that's kind of where it's going, and see if you guys like it. If you do, and I feel confident about my lemon writing, I'll go ahead and add a lemon chapter somewhere in here. :3

**And that means comment!** X3 After all, your input not only can influence where/how far this story goes, but also inspires me :3

Not gonna nickle and dime myself on this next chapter, I've hit 66 pages with this chapter, so I'm aiming for... 75/80 pages. Depends on how I want to leave the chapter off or how well a thought comes through. On that note; good-bye! :3


	12. Sleeply Waking Moments

_**OC **_blah blah blah, _**NO FLAMES**_, blah. Blah. Blah.

ENJOY!

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"…yeah." She laughed, half-heartedly. One, shocked by Shanks' rejection, and secondly, heart broken by Shanks' rejection. She backed off a little bit, rather embarrassed about herself, however, not truly sorry.

"…" while Suzuna was having a heartbreaking moment, Shanks wasn't any different. The smile on his face was only a cover. It was only killing him inside. _"It's not like she's feeling any different, __**that**__ I'm positive of."_ he thought, sighing. _"Well I've got to say something __**now**__; the poor girl's all in a tizzy."_

"Anyway…" Suzuna laughed a little; "…I'll see you tomorrow." She drug her hand off his chest and headed for her bed, surely not going to sleep now.

"Suzuna, love," Shanks sighed once again while grasping her hand lightly, slightly tugging at her; just to get her attention. "I may be a bad judge of character, but I know when a ladies heart hurts." He paused, trying to read her reaction.

Failure.

"Look," he said gruffly, but coming off soft. "I know I shot you down… but love, if I go in with you and have my way, I--" suddenly his heart propelled itself into the middle of his neck again; right next to his Adam's apple. _"Shit, shit, SHIT." _he racked his mind to why not only 'what am I saying?!', and 'SPIT IT OUT MAN!', but to also '… what if?'. "_JOLLY RODGER, SHANKS! Pull yourself together! Swallow your BLOODY PRIDE and just ADMIT IT." _

"--I'll never respect you…" Came the long-awaited stained-whisper of words. _"… yo~u LOSER." _Shanks roughly prejudiced himself.

"… yeah?" Suzuna's heart fluttered. There was only a handful of men that ever really said their respect to her. She was starting to get delusional again. She was remembering the past, too much as it were, caught up in the present and thinking about the future.

"Yeah," Shanks nervously laughed.

Suzuna giggled. She tip-toed up to Shanks and give him a light peck on his lips, slipping back quickly only to scurry in her home. She slammed the door, leaving Shanks shockingly embarrassed outside. She popped her head back out. "Night~" Suzuna said whimsically as she gave a fan of her fingers to Shanks.

"G'nite, love." Shanks, dizzy from that small kiss, whispered as he gave a wave back. Suzuna giggled again as she went inside. Shanks chuckled, his hand still high in the air. "Aww, dammit Shanks! You're getting soft." He pocketed his hand, and turned around, facing his glorious ship in the harbor. He laughed even more, there wasn't much more he could say! He headed to his ship and more than likely off to bed.

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I got a PM, that said "post more LOL? NOW" D:**_I FEEL PRESSURED_** D: Kidding. Though it was alarming at first, I was in denial it actually said that at first XD

Anywho, I'm sorry it's been so long guys~ I've been on a mythology muse, so pirates kinda got shoved to the side! Aside from that, I'm rather stuck D: I'm not all that sure how to take it off from here. Sugustions? AND I'M SO SORRY FOR THE EPICALLY SMALL CHAPTER D: The next one will be longer, I promise :3

And as for the lemon guys, I'm not going to head for it D: I tried writing it in the last chapter a little; and it was pretty awkward! I'll stick to the fluff and slight hintings to any sensual acts that may or may not [if they ever] occur... yeah, it's gonna happen, just not full blown out lemony words~! XD

**sophie - **That's a very good idea! :3 Thank you so much for your input; I've been thinking about something like that!

**electrogirl88** - Thank you for your kind words! =D


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